The Devil's love, and the Diva's guilt
by Vergil Diva's chevalier
Summary: It's been multiple years since the last story, and things have calmed down. However, an enemy is coming that will tear the happy group apart. And not in the way one would expect. Rated M for violence, possible language, and some... intimate things.
1. Devil May Cry

As of this story, I'm going to be taking a new approach to updates; updates will be weekly instead of whenever I write up a new one. I know this will make people wait longer, but it will help keep consistency with updates, compared to how I did it before where there would be a lot of chapters and then none for months. This is also how I will be approaching other stories from now on, including ones that have already been posted.

* * *

It was a cold night. The moon was shining brightly. Almost _too _brightly. The Japanese believe the color of death is white. Maybe that's true; maybe something bad is going to happen tonight.

The moon illuminated the dreary street, soaked with who knew how many substances over the years. More specifically, it illuminated the bar at the _end _of the street, and the figure that walked down it.

Many different kinds of people were out tonight; some stood by barrels with fires in them to keep cold, while others were shooting stuff up, while still others waited in the shadows, looking for an easy mark to steal some money off of.

The various people on the side of and in the buildings next to the street might as well have been shadows, though, as far as the lone figure was concerned. All that was in his mind lay on the inside of the bar at the end of the street; the dive called "The Devil's Den". His business lie in there, among other things.

About him his coat blew like a war flag on a furious battlefield. Its red leather material looked like a bloodied animal's hide, though not an animal of this world. A large bass case hung along his back from his shoulder, but the sound of the instrument inside was not one of music. The moon shone on his silver-white hair and made him seem ethereal; he was akin to a ghost coming back to earth.

Either that, or he was the grim reaper coming to reap souls from the wicked.

His footsteps echoed off the street and off the buildings that bordered it, changing in pitch and tone as they first stepped onto the sidewalk, and then onto the half dozen or so stairs that led up to The Devil's Den.

The name suited the building; with its old crusty walls and windows that looked like they'd been around since the country was founded, the place certainly didn't give off a "classy" feel. Of course, the kind of patrons at _this _bar weren't exactly the type to be found in uptown country clubs.

A bell rang and fell off as the door was pulled open and the man walked into the bar, the combination of his boots and solid, confident steps caused the floorboards to creek as he made his way over to one of the unoccupied bar stools.

"Hey, you mind if I sit?" He asked the middle-aged looking bartender, who stood cleaning a dirty glass with an even dirtier rag.

"Not at all; if you can pay, by all means sit." He responded in a gruff voice. It made him sound like an old man suspicious of an unwanted stranger coming into his village.

"Thanks. I could use a break."

The silver-haired man pulled the bass case from his shoulder and set it down against the counter while leaning back in his creaky stool.

"So, what're you buying?"

From beneath the short, silver mane came up two eyes that looked at the old man with a piercing gaze. It caused him to stop cleaning the glass in his hand.

"Strawberry sundae."

The tension dragged on for a few moments more, long enough for everyone to process what he'd said. Then the bar erupted in laughter. The pool players, the drunks, the ones playing cards, and everything in-between broke out in a laughing fit. The bartender managed to take in a big enough breath so that he could speak as he laughed.

"I don't know what kinda bars _you've _been too, but _this _is _real _bar; we only serve _drinks _here."

The silver-haired man grinned, and set his elbows on the back of the old barstool.

"Alright, a strawberry sundae _float _then."

All of a sudden, the laughing ended, and a scowl replaced the hysterical grin on the bartender's face.

"You're really serious, aren't you?"

"Yep. I gotta say, liquor's great, but nothing quite beats a strawberry sundae when you're feeling down."

The bartender set the dirty glass down behind him while pulling a cleaner one out from beneath the counter and placing it in front of the man.

"Down, huh? What's the matter? Tell me what you're _really _having and I'm all ears."

A sigh came from the frown on the red-clad man's face and he leaned against the counter.

"Bloody Mary. And go heavy on the tomato juice."

"You got it."

He nodded and gave another sigh.

"To be honest, I'm not sure what _isn't _completely messed up; my brother's being a dick and isn't talking to me, my girlfriend's treating me like shit, plus I've got an old lady that acts like a goddamn _infant_…"

A newly-filled glass came down onto the counter in front of him, and he quickly consumed it in a single down before setting it back onto the counter.

"I missed a gig last week so I've lost that job and I swear, the people I deal with at work are trying to _kill _me."

Another drink came down to confront him and his lips quickly took hold of the stubborn enemy before he consumed another whole glass in a single gulp. A big exhale was his announcement of victory following the battle and he sat back once more, waiting for the next shot.

"But it's not _all _bad, ya know. I've got my health, my dignity, and my sobriety. Plus… I've been looking for this bar for a while."

The bartender halted his drink-making for a moment, and then continued. A similar hesitation had swept across the whole room at the same time, yet the man seemed indifferent to it.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I've heard that those who're down on their luck and want to get a chance to climb back up the ladder can come here, meet some people, and then its like they're gods or something. That's what I've _heard _anyway."

A smirk tugged at the bartender's face but he suppressed it while setting the once-again filled glass onto the counter.

"Supposing that's the truth… what are you willing to offer?"

"Five thousand up front, with an additional five percent of every one of my gigs."

Once again the room erupted into laughter, but _this _time it sounded more like dozens of mutated hyenas cackling as they surrounded their prey.

"You think we want _money_? Look at the place around you, bud; it's a dump. Do you really think that if we got _money _from our investments we'd be operating out of a shithole like _this_?"

"Well…" He swallowed the new drink and set it down on the counter.

"What then?"

The smirk returned to the bartender's face and he readied a new drink twice as fast as before.

"Say…how about… your soul?"

"My soul?"

The liquid that lapped at the glass's sides as the bartender set it down again looked more like blood than it did like alcohol.

"That's all. You do that, and you can get as many drinks as you want here. Plus, who knows? You might just become a major _rock star too_."

Frowning, the silver-haired man took the drink and hesitated before chugging it down.

"Seems like a decent trade; what's a soul worth _anyway_?"

The pleased bartender nodded and took the glass to refill it.

"Exactly; it's _worthless_."

"I'll tell ya what though, how about you give me _your _soul _instead_?"

The drink stopped halfway towards the counter, as the bartender's eyes narrowed.

"Oh yeah, that's right…" The silver-haired man spoke while drawing a large handgun from his coat and aiming it at the bartender through the glass.

A loud noise assaulted the room as the gun's huge bullet shot through the alcohol glass and then through the bartender's face. A shower of Bloody Mary and real blood sprayed out like two tidal waves crashing together in the air, as the flesh on his face began to tear off, a larger, thicker skin pushing it away.

The man in red pulled out another large handgun, one of them silver and the other black, and blasted through the monstrosity with a shower of bullets as the guns arced out to his sides and disintegrated all of the transforming "drunks" on the other barstools in a maelstrom of lead.

All of the people in the joint went through convulsions as they transformed and one of the more beastly looking forms leapt at him, followed shortly thereafter by some of its brethren.

Once more the room was filled with the flash of gunfire, but this time it was accompanied by the sound of shattering glass as bullets flew through the windows and caught all of the attackers in their center mass.

The devil hunter in red, Dante, grinned as shoved his handguns Ebony & Ivory back into their holsters beneath the coat and unzipped the bass case, ripping a large sword from within it. The massive blade swung horizontally through the air and decapitated all of them, and the evil red light faded from their eyes as the heads and then the bodies fell lifeless to the ground.

A few of the demons were terrified by the show of brute force that could overcome their own kind and ran for the doors, only to have a strange-shaped sword run several of them through and then tear upwards through their torsos and heads.

A big crunch signified the doors being kicked open and a girl with short black hair and fiery red eyes that overcame the demons' rushed into the room, bisecting the other "runners' with another skillful slice of her katana.

All now transformed, the group of demons split in two, with one half breaking down the back door and running into the alley behind the bar, while others hurtled themselves at the newly arrived teenage-looking girl. Those that weren't met by gunfire that roared from behind her were sent sprawling to the ground as a large case crashed into their bodies.

The girl, Saya Otonashi, let her sword lower slightly as a tall, dark haired and clothed man entered the room through one of the windows. He positioned himself between her and the living monsters that remained in the room, lifting up a bandaged hand and pulling the coverings free of it.

Though intimidated by the skilled group, the demons were still intent on fighting, and rushed forward once more only to be either impaled through the faces with stiletto daggers or lacerated by the demonic-looking hand that the man, Haji, had revealed.

"What's the matter? That all ya creeps _got_?" Dante taunted them, rushing into the thick of it with his large sword ready.

More sounds of slaughter came from the building as the other demons fled from it into the one-way alley behind the bar. Their bodies were not made for running, as they were supposed to be tearing apart the attackers, not fleeing from them, but they had managed to make it several yards down he long, dark alley before the moon shone down along it.

They all skidded to a halt as a lone figure stood in their way, his hair shining the same color as Dante's, it now the same _style _as _well_. His black coat blew the same as his twin's had before, as the ivy designs along the side of it revealed blue roses "growing' off of them and his dark blue shirt and black pants looked like the clothes of some kind of demonic aristocrat.

It was perhaps the demons' biggest mistake to fail to notice as the majority of them charged at him, that what he held behind his back was far more striking than the rest of his attire.

Their roars of rage were suddenly cut short by their gasps as hundreds of flashes spun throughout the air like some sort of light show. The long Japanese sword in his, Vergil's hand, dragged along its sheath slowly as the demons remained perfectly still, as if frozen in time. The blade snapped closed and both they, and the walls surrounding them fell to pieces in a spray of blood and rubble.

It was an even more grisly sight than the one in the bar, which had since fallen silent, and the sole surviving demons backed away past the doorway towards the dark, dead end of the alley.

Vergil's eyes slowly opened and revealed shining blue spheres looking at them with a normal expression which nonetheless showed overwhelming intensity. The shine given to them by the moon's light almost glowed as bright as the pure blue orbs that glistened behind the monsters.

"Where are you looking?" A delicate voice asked the "fearsome" monsters behind, not even giving them enough time to tremble in fear before a collective sound of flesh being punctured sounded out through the air. Blood spilt from their wounds which had been delivered nigh-simultaneously as the girl sheathed the short sword that she used and let it hang in the sheath attached to a belt around her waist.

The teenage-looking girl's eyes seemed to fade back to their normal look as she walked towards Vergil, her dress billowing as if she were standing high on a cliff. Her long blue black hair was almost an echo of the way Saya's used to be and her younger twin, Diva, approached her love appearing like a moon goddess in the light as the moonlight glistened off her pale skin.

"How mean of you, Vergil, to leave me only a few."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't aware it would bother you." He apologized flatly, his irritated tone while regularly addressing her long since past.

"It's alright. I'll forgive you. But you have to do one thing for me first." She spoke with a smile in her voice, as well as on her face.

"What's that?"

Her smile grew wider as the girl touched a slender hand to his cheek and pulled him forward effortlessly, like their bodies were made of magnetic metals. Their lips met and they kissed. As always, Diva played a more active role in the loving exchange, but Vergil had become a larger part of the interaction in more recent months.

With the threats of demonic apocalypses not in current sight, and with no more homicidal revenge-obsessed sociopaths around, things had grown quiet over the past year or so. Quiet meaning virtually every night the group went out and hunted demons for a job or for a rush. Luckily for them, and their stomachs, tonight they would get paid.

"Diva! Vergil! You two finished up out there?!" Dante yelled from inside the bar so he could get his voice over to them.

Neither of the two broke eye contact and slowly a smile began to creep onto his face. It was coerced into doing so by Diva's constant happy and playful energy, which had broken down his habit of always founding just as it had his temper.

"We're all set!" Diva spoke back. Her voice was too beautiful to use the word "yell", even when her voice rose above its normal level.

"Alright! Meet us out front at the car! Time to head home!"

They continued looking into each other's eyes, their love a constant silent promise between them.

"Let's go." She spoke softly.

His smile grew wider.

"All right."


	2. New business

Sorry for the week-late update; I updated this story on another site and I thought I'd done so on this one as well, but I was wrong.

* * *

The group as a whole had matured over the past year and some change; Dante's silliness had lessened to a manageable degree, Lady no longer shot at him when he upset her, Saya was in a "normal" loving relationship with her sister, Haji actually made conversation occasionally, Vergil had loosened up a bit and gotten a bit less grumpy, and Diva's personality had grown older enough that she could comprehend things like responsibilities and the like, though her childish playfulness had never gone away.

The shop's design was open as it'd used to be, with the wood interior from last year. The doors hadn't been replaced more than a few times since the battle against Ritorno and his sword flunkies, which was quite an improvement. Meanwhile, Diva and Vergil now shared the same room, giving Dante the chance to use Diva's old room for storage of everyone's things, since the residents of the building had increased by four over that past two years or so and stuff had begun to pile up.

Though initially Saya had seemed a bit against the idea of having Diva in Vergil's room, it became evident over time that Vergil wasn't going to be manipulated into doing anything Diva wanted him to, and that she cared about him enough to not _want _to manipulate him. Vergil had found it rather amusing at the time that she'd been worried about _him_, since it was _her _childish sister that was going to be sleeping in the same bed as him. Most sisters would be worried about their young, attractive, socially unaccustomed twin in those circumstances.

Work had finally started come in a steady stream and the flood of jobs to do was a welcome contrast to the previously dried up business of Devil May Cry. Demons seemed to be getting attracted to this city more and more, but they weren't coming any faster than the group could kill them. When they all went off on their own missions, they could get six done virtuously simultaneously. That was a lot more than Dante could get done on his own in just as much time with occasional help from Lady.

The job they'd just come back from would pay for a whole week between the six of them, and they still had others to do later on. You really couldn't ask for anything better; you got to kick ass for a living, and get _paid _for it. Plus, you could more or less make your own rules.

The phone rang, and everyone kept on eating their pizza. When the phone rang again, Vergil swallowed a piece and told Dante to go get it.

"Yeah, yeah. You're like a backseat driver." He spoke, curling up the edges of his own slice of pizza and downing the whole thing, crust and all, before slapping his hands against each other to get the grease off of them.

Dante walked over to his big wood desk, which the phone stood upon, and pulled the receiver up to his ear.

"Devil May Cry." He answered while the others continued eating their food. Their eating habits reflected their personalities; Lady ate hers like any other person, and took her time. Saya ate hers much the same way, while Diva's style resembled a girl eating a corndog in a "guy" comedy movie. Vergil took small, deliberate bites out of his pizza and Haji… Haji just sat in his place next to Saya with the pizza on a plate on his lap; Dante hadn't accepted yet that he didn't require food and always gave him a slice of pizza or whatever just in case he turned out to be right.

"Huh? What do you mean you're not going to use us? Who're you gonna call? The freakin' Ghost Busters? What? Who?"

Though the group hadn't so much as batted an eye in Dante's direction, all of them were paying attention to the spirit phone call as they finished their pizza.

Vergil sat straight up after setting his plate down on the coffee table in front of the couches, followed shortly thereafter by Diva, who instead decided to lay herself across his lap. He shook his head almost drowsily and looked over at Dante.

"…alright." Was all he said before dropping the receiver down into the cradle that made a loud enough noise to temporarily deafen the person on the other end before he walked back over towards them.

"What's the problem?" Vergil asked his brother while he sat down in his place on a couch, sighing.

"Looks like 'Hell on earth' said it'd get the job done _tonight_."

Vergil sighed as well as a scowl tugged on his mouth.

"We should have killed him while we had the chance." He spoke with a tone of seriousness. Then again, he usually sounded like that anyway, so he could be joking and sound genuine at the same time.

"No kidding."

"Hee hee, Vergil's mad because Enzeru's getting his jobs!" Diva teased.

"Let's give him a break; after all, if he was trapped down in the demon world like you said it must have been hard getting used to living here again." Saya added softly for consideration.

"Perhaps, but he's gotten past the 'crawling out of the gutter' phase."

"And since Enzeru isn't as lame as you, he gets more clients." Lady spoke up, amused.

"Heh, whatever. Anyway, we've still got plenty of jobs left. It's no big deal. If he wants that one I guess he can have it."

"My, how generous of you, Dante. What brought about the change in heart?" Vergil asked his brother.

"I may not be a big softie, but at the very least I know what it's like to be in this business with no money or anything. Figured I'd cut the guy a break."

Saya nodded and Lady's eyebrows rose just a little to show her slight surprise.

"Anyway, it's just one guy. Whether he can kill demons or not, he won't be able to take away all of our work; one person can only do so much so fast." She added.

"Bingo."

Vergil chuckled, though it sounded somewhat like a scoff; it was a leftover habit from earlier days. Vergil used to laugh perhaps once a year. And that was only when laughing at some kind of demon's pathetic attempt to kill him. It was a far cry from now, when he'd learned how to maintain his fighting spirit while allowing himself to enjoy life. That enjoyment came from Diva, and his brother, and everyone else around him. It hadn't taken long, after he learned to open himself up to others, for Vergil's inner world to change.

"I figured as much; you pretend to be helping him out when in reality you just think he's going to fade into the background, huh?" He spoke with a grin. The grin was returned and Dante looked away.

"You talk too much."

Both of them chuckled while everyone got their last serving of pizza from the box.

His wearing his hair like Dante's was a much bolder statement than most would realize; the previous style had shown his determination to not be like Dante; living as a human. It symbolized his unwavering ambition to gather as much power as he could and defeat anyone that opposed him, no matter how likely. One could say it was the insignia of his being the "dark slayer" as some had called him.

Vergil lived as a human now; he had friends, family, and someone that he genuinely loved, and who loved him back. He had no need for such a cold heart anymore. It was surprising how quickly the ice melted when you were surrounded by warmth. The thought made him smile, and Diva smiled back at him.

A moment later she closed her eyes and turned to face inwards towards him and the couch. Diva dug her head in against his stomach. Diva was going to sleep now.

He shook his head and leaned back in the couch, knowing he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Though I think we'd better get a few more jobs done tonight; don't want that bastard Enzeru to hog all the glory."

"Well, there was a rundown motel that supposedly had some demons in it." Vergil mentioned.

"An old building? Supposedly with demons inside? No _way _could _that _turn out badly." Dante joked sarcastically.

"Well it's better than putting up with twenty-one crazies at a hotel furnished to look like an uncreative dungeons and dragons battle-map."

"Hey, it was the money in that casino that we commandeered that help repair the shop and get us really going with work."

"I would prefer not to do that again." Saya spoke honestly, finishing her pizza."

"All of us that went there ended up almost dying. I hope we never have to do anything like that again."

Dante leaned back in his couch while Haji handed Saya his slice upon her polite request, and Lady finished hers as well.

"That's the thing about hunting demons; there'll always be some big loser in the demon-world with a god complex that wants to stir up some hell."

"Hey, that's just fine. I don't mind dealing with a little demon trouble. It's the brother-gone-bonkers and twenty-one-a-holes-in-a-mansion deals that _I've _got an issue with."

"Hey, at least my situation was justifiable." Vergil spoke in mock-defense.

"Aw yeah, I forgot; it's a _lot _more justified to go after your brother trying to kill him 'cause you're jealous about getting your ass kicked than trying to kill someone 'cause they killed your brother."

It had been intended as a joke. However, it didn't end up feeling like that and Vergil's smile faltered, as did everyone else's.

"Never mind. Bad joke. Anyway, let's get ready to get going again." Dante said, quickly getting up from his couch and heading back towards his desk to get his weapons so he didn't have to stick around anymore.

Vergil looked down at the floor, beginning to feel a bit unsure of himself, when Diva rolled back to face up at him and placed a cool hand on his cheek. The touch gave him a surprised expression for a moment, but he managed to build a smile in the aftermath.

"Don't listen to Dante and his silly jokes. They aren't even that good." She spoke with a sleepy smile.

The mentioned man sneezed from across the room while working on getting his weapons ready.

"Yeah, I know."

Diva sat up and managed to get off of him long enough to sit down beside the half-demon.

"So, who are we going to play with next?"

Vergil had long realized that to Diva, "playing" was, among other things, a synonym for fighting. However, as her choice of words suggested, she rarely took fighting seriously.

"There's some sort of building around here inhabited by demons. But they seem to be obsessed with maintaining their 'mafia' personas, so likely we'll be hearing a lot of old one-liners from television days past as we kill them."

She gave a sleepy shrug.

"Sounds fun."

"I suppose. As long as it helps keep this building from being repossessed I suppose it's a worthwhile cause."

Their one-on-one discussion was brought to an end when Dante came back over in their direction, ready to get going.

"Alright, everyone, we set?"

The other three stood up and showed in their own ways that they were while Vergil and Diva, still looking directly at each other, rose from the couch and got off of it. Diva slipped her shoes back on while Vergil stuck out a hand for Dante to throw his sheathed katana into.

"How many demons are we talking?" Lady asked, already checking her guns to see if they were fully loaded and on "safe".

"About ten, maybe twenty, no big deal."

Haji picked up his cello case which held Saya's katana in it and quietly pulled it on over one of his shoulders.

Saya and he stepped away from their couch and she asked him how powerful the demons would be.

"Like before, no big deal. Just a routine little mission for us to take care of."

"Yeah, right; don't the missions that end up having the world hang in the balance usually begin with 'just another little job'?" Lady speculated with some humor.

Dante shrugged.

"Don't sweat the small stuff. Anyway, we ready?"

They all were, and with Dante at the head of them, headed out the doors of Devil May Cry.


	3. Impending danger

Geez, I keep messing up with the updating of this story. Sorry, I don't mean to leave you all waiting for eternity.

* * *

The slums looked about as nice as they always did; crabby grey and dull red brick buildings were left over from times when people actually lived in this part of town by choice. Meanwhile there were poor sons of bitches wandering the streets either to get some drugs so they could put up living in such crappy conditions, or merely because they had nowhere to go.

Gunshots echoed from near and far, making it impossible to tell if any fighting was going on in the immediate vicinity. Rap music and some hip-hop, as had become custom, could be heard booming from certain buildings, as well as old, clunky cars. Though the sounds were lessened somewhat by the closed windows of the car the group drove in, they still got through.

Of course, the windows were up because of the smells, not out of any fear of being mugged or shot or any other typical experiences that could dull your day and brighten someone else's. From the stench of old booze, piss and the occasional whiff of death, came the realization that their recovering conditions of bankruptcy weren't really all that bad. Then again, these poor sobs didn't have to deal with _real _demons on a day-to-day basis.

Dante drove them down the street that led to bailpark avenue; it was just another street in just another constantly crummy part of the projects. However, unlike the other dirty little neighborhoods, _this _one had _real _demons who pretended to be gangsters, not the other way around. The building which the demons resided in was fairly tall and, compared to the other ones, in even worse condition than everything else.

"Demons sure don't have good taste in style _do _they?" Dante remarked in passing while they drove down the street.

"_You're half _demon, Dante." Vergil reminded him, causing a bit of a chuckle from most of the people in the car.

"Yeah, yeah. But I mean like those dirty little ankle-biter ones. Granted, having massive cathedrals all over the place just to show how awesome you are doesn't make the big-time demons look much _better_."

"You _do _realize you're a man with a red leather coat that's talking about good style, right?" His twin countered humorously once again.

"Hey, don't hate me just because I know how to look good. I mean even _you _ditched you old-man-looking hairdo in favor of mine."

The brothers' amusing little exchange was added on to when Diva entered into the "argument" as well, rubbing her head against Vergil's shoulder.

"Vergil's cuter, no matter _how _he dresses or looks." She spoke with a purr in her voice.

"Tell that to all the girls who've spent a night with me."

"By 'girls' do you mean the ones that somehow gave you HIV or the others that were so old their faces were made of plastic to make them look fifty?" Vergil spoke again, causing multiple different reactions from everyone but Haji. Saya shook her head, a small grin on her face, while Lady gave a "ha" and Dante said "touché" and Diva merely giggled.

They arrived at the building and Dante parked on the side of the road, which by some miracle wasn't full of cars, as he turned it off.

"Alright then, perhaps I don't have the love of a girl who's a hundred and seventy six going on sixteen going on five, but hey…"

Diva stuck her tongue out at him while Vergil contemplated kicking the seat, but the red clad man had already opened his car door and got out. Everyone followed him outside into the cold night full of stale air, and Vergil realized the sooner they got out of here the better. Like before, it wasn't that he was afraid, but rather he simply didn't enjoy being here.

Haji and Dante were getting his cello case unsecured from the roof of the car, since there was no room in the trunk with the swords and guns in it. The same trunk was opened and Vergil pulled out Diva's small sword first, followed by his own katana, and then got out of the way and stepped up onto the sidewalk so Lady could get her bevy of guns out of it.

Rebellion, Dante's large, signature sword, and Kalina Ann, a multi-purpose missile launcher that held sentimental value to Lady, remained back at the shop since they were too big to conceal as easily and they really didn't need them here. After all, it was just a couple of mafia-wannabes, who just happened to be a couple dozen demons.

Diva and he examined the building, though for different reasons, as everyone finished getting their things.

"Well, nice place. Could use some work though." Dante joked as they now all gazed at the broken down, crumbling rock building.

"Your jokes are always so lame." Lady remarked, pulling back on the slide of a pistol.

"Well, anyway, I figured I'd go in first; shoot everything. Then you come in after me and shoot everything again. After that they can all go to work cutting them up. Easy as can be."

"Sounds fine to me." She agreed, followed shortly thereafter by the others.

"Alright, let's get to work!"

Dante marched up the steps to the antique entrance door to the building and stomped on it, splintering the old wood and sending it crashing into the building within as he pulled out his twin handguns and aimed them inside.

"Woah, woah. No need to get so aggressive, my friend." Came a playful tone from inside the building. Though the voice arose his curiosity, Vergil did not ask his twin what was going on inside.

The man sighed and spun his guns once before throwing them back into their holsters and walking inside. It looked like he was being dragged by a girlfriend somewhere more than entering the den of demons.

"What the hell are _you _doing here?" He asked as the others followed in behind him.

The interior hallway didn't look much, if _any _better than the outside had; the old wallpaper was peeling away from the dull grey walls, dust fell from the ceiling with each footstep and every inch further one entered into the building they would have to wonder if the squeaking boards beneath their feet would give way and drop them straight into hell.

"Now, now, is that any way to talk to a friend?" The voice teased further. Vergil already knew who it was as their footsteps creaked down the hall to the office at the end of it.

"Who said we were friends? You've been stealing my business; that doesn't make us friends. In _fact_, it just makes me want to stomp your head in _more _than I did when you were just spending all of my money. Which you still owe me by the way."

Down the hall and in the dusty old office sat a man who's posh demeanor would have seemed in the perfect place… about maybe eighty or so years ago.

The playful man sitting behind the old wooden desk brought a hand up near his face and rubbed some dust from his fingers.

"Don't worry about the little details, Dante; it's unhealthy."

His twin started to take an angry step forward when Vergil, with Diva attached to him, stepped past him.

"What are you still doing here, Enzeru? It's obvious you've already killed all of the demons here."

Enzeru's shifty grin showed a bit more honesty behind it upon the sight of his old "friend".

"Ah, Vergil, it's been too long! When was the last time we truly talked?"

"Right after your brother tried to kill us all, I believed it was."

"Well, when _we _were growing up there was no such thing as therapists, so I guess that was his way of venting his frustration."

"Don't worry about it; what do you want and why are you still here?"

The man's black man shifted as he lowered himself down a bit to be at Diva's eye-level and his grin drew extra-playful.

"Hi, Diva!" He teased.

She giggled back at him and waved across the five feet that separated them.

"Enzeru." Vergil repeated, momentarily sounding more like his old self than usual.

The man in question sighed and nodded his head, pulling his feet from the desk and getting out of the chair behind it.

"Alright, alright. Well, I didn't want you all to show up and not know why the demons were gone. Plus, I wanted to discuss a business proposition."

"Business proposition?" Vergil repeated in question.

"What'd someone give you a dictionary for last Christmas, Enzeru?" Dante goaded him from behind.

"Would you like to borrow it? Perhaps your seventies pick-up lines would work better if you added some hyperbole." He teased.

Dante grumbled and turned away once again.

"What do you mean?" Vergil asked him, ignoring the short exchange between the two.

"I've only really heard a few rumors about it; I'm not even sure if it's really going to happen. But when demons start whispering about prophecies like some old women gossiping about a childhood legend of a serial killer, it tends to draw some attention."

"Another legend? Demons sure love their stories, _don't _they?" Lady asked, having been witness to one of them herself when she Dante and Vergil had all been part of it.

"It would certainly seem so. Word going around is that some new demon's trying to become the king of the demon world. Only problem is that he, she or _it _can't seem to find the assassinator of the _last _one."

"It would seem you've gotten yourself into quite a predicament, Enzeru." Vergil spoke.

"Why is that?" Saya asked from the rear of the group.

Both Vergil and Diva looked straight into his eyes, which somehow managed to return the gesture to both of them at the same time.

"Enzeru is the one that killed the old demon-king, Mundus."

"Well, looks like you've got one hell of a problem to deal with doesn't have anything to do with _us _though, come on guys, let's go." Dante spoke dismissively while walking down the hall towards the entrance.

"Actually, you might want to hear about this one too; like always, this demon is none too fond of your father."

A sigh came from the end of the hallway.

"In other words, both you and us are in the spotlight of this demon's wrath." Vergil explained.

Enzeru held his hand in the air and shifted it back and forth; he looked like a tutor trying to hint to their student that they needed to elaborate on their answer to make it correct.

"Not exactly. See, _I killed _him, but let's not forget that afterwards _you _killed _me_."

"But all of the power you'd gained you put in that dagger. And when I used that to help bring Diva back all of that energy…"

"Exactly; no one has the power of the demon-king anymore. But that doesn't mean that some demon-king _wannabe _isn't going to try and tear that nonexistent power from you."

"Wait, you mean-"

"Vergil is, technically, the king of the demon world."

"So _that's _why you were acting like royalty for those first couple of months." Dante joked.

The stale, dusty air of the hallway seemed even more lifeless than normal.

Enzeru liked to kid around, and he was a very shifty character; it was near impossible to tell if he was being serious or joking, but when he gave you information on a serious matter, regardless of his attitude while doing it, his advice was something to heed.

"So an aspiring demon is going to try and kill Vergil because he's supposed to have that power, and is going to try and kill_ both _of them because it didn't get along with their _father_?" Lady questioned, showing how much the ridiculous equation hurt her brain.

"More or less, yes."

They stood there, an air of seriousness about them, for several moments.

A loud yawn from someone with significant lung power shook the dust from the ceiling and drew everyone's attention.

"We'll just kill whoever shows up to hurt them." Diva stated plainly. Obviously she was bored if she was explaining her reason for interrupting everyone.

"Diva…"

She shrugged.

"Well, that's what we'll do, right love?" She asked him.

A few years ago, perhaps a few _months _ago that might have sent an unpleasant tingle up his spine, but that kind of talk was normal for Diva and everyone had grown used to it.

"I suppose."

She nodded.

"Was that all?" She asked Enzeru.

The man in question chuckled and walked out from behind the desk to come closer to them.

"Not exactly. See, I don't think killing whatever this thing is will be a problem. But most of us know what happens when a big demon gets all worked up over an issue; lots of _little _demons start coming out of the woodwork. Which means…"

"Business is going to start booming." Dante explained, once again in a positive mood.

"Bingo."

"So, then, if your little proposition is going to make us some _money_, how about coming back to the shop with us to talk about it?" The now-friendly red twin offered.

"Dante, we're cramped in the car as it _is_." Vergil explained, trying not to sound rude.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I saved some money up; I have my own car now."

"Really?"

"It's some kind of… sports car I think you call it? A really expensive, really neat-looking one."

Dante began to laugh and cough at the same time, drawing everyone's attention to him as he waved his hand in the air to dismiss it.

"Uh, when'd you leave your car?"

"About half an hour ago, when I started to work on this job."

"Dude, do you have _any _idea what part of town we're in? Hell, if someone didn't steal it the only thing it'll be good for now is as a toilet; it's probably stripped to hell."

"No, I used magic on it to make it look like something else."

Vergil stared at him with a deadpan face.

"Magic?"

"Yes, magic."

"I see."

"Quite."

"And tell me, using this…"

"Magic."

"Yes, magic… you made it look like?…"

"A broken Nissan Stanza covered in cardboard and toilet paper."

There was no sound for several moments, until a random part of the ceiling fell down and ended the silence.

"Alright, then. Well, we'll see you back at the shop. I take it you know how to get there?"

"That I do."

Vergil nodded and turned away, the rest of the group soon doing so.

Once they were all outside they began talking again.

"He's a bit… strange, isn't he?" Saya asked, despite not liking to be rude.

"I second that." Lady added.

"If he's right and it'll help us make some money, who cares?" Dante commented.

"Right Haji?"

"…"

"Right."

"Dante, can we get a milkshake on the way back?" Diva asked him cutely.

"Huh?"

"Please?"

The silver-haired twin dared to look back for only a second, but a second was all it took for him to succumb to "the face".

"Er….. Fine."

"Yay!"

Vergil chuckled as everyone finished setting their respective weapons in the right places and the cello case was secured.

"Do you want to share it?" She asked him.

"Sure, why not?"

The light-hearted atmosphere in recent times had helped the relationships of virtually everyone in the group. Hopefully whoever this demon was it wouldn't put an end to these times.


	4. First taste

"So what you're saying is that we'd split the money on missions fifty-fifty, no matter who did them?" Dante asked from behind his desk.

"That's correct. With so many demons on the way, it's likely that there wouldn't be enough time to call up each other and ask about how our sisters are doing before setting up a time and place to carry out a job."

Dante glanced over at Vergil, who had his gaze momentarily fixed on his twin to fend off any possible "sister" jokes he could make.

His eyes returned to Enzeru, who had brought up a chair in front of the desk and pushed against it to lean back in the chair as they talked. Sometimes it was hard to remember that he wasn't just some kind of barely-mature child.

"Makes sense, I guess. How do I know you'll pay _up _though?"

Enzeru's grin grew a bit more mischievous for a moment.

"We'll just take the money and put it some place. Then, when everything's done with, we cut the total earnings in half. After all, what time is there to count who gets what when you're busy decapitating a large unicorn demon with knobs of metal for hooves?"

Dante shrugged.

As the two discussed business, everyone else was over in the living area hanging out, since they still were unsure whether or not to get another job in tonight.

"But there's only one of you. Doesn't that mean you won't be doing as much work?"

Enzeru waved his hand in the air.

"I'll just hire some interns."

Dante chuckled.

"Didn't know they _had _demon-hunting interns. That the hot new field today is it?"

The black-haired man shrugged and leaned back further in his chair.

"I've heard rumors of some people in town who're a bit… extra special, in terms of abilities. For a few extra dollars, out of my part of course, they would probably be willing to help out."

"But being strong enough to take demons on is only half the deal. You've gotta make sure you can _trust _them _too_."

It was Enzeru's turn to chuckle.

"Dear Dante… just because someone may be entirely willing to kill you for this or that doesn't mean you can't still control them. Trust me, I was in a business environment where that was the case for a few years or so."

"Well, whatever. It's your head. When you lose it I'll make sure to use some of the money to buy you a nice coffin."

"I appreciate your concern."

"Don't mention it."

Their amusement had reached a high enough level that Dante's previous hostility towards Enzeru had gotten lost in the conversation. In truth, the only thing he really held against him, aside from spending his money, was that he had been the primary cause for Vergil's "transformation" years earlier. Yet now, here they were, sitting in chairs near each other, cracking jokes and talking business.

All of the eyes in the room drifted in the direction of the entrance to the shop, and Enzeru leaned back in his chair more.

The moon, as well as the streetlights outside, formed silhouettes that shone in through the front doors of the building. Most of them were just tall, narrow shafts, but a few of them were rather grisly in nature. These were, needless to say, what had drawn the attention of everyone.

A loud sound smacked out into the air as the chair collided with the floor and a sudden gust leapt across the shop and opened the front doors of it, allowing a large demon to lunge through them and leave the comparatively frail wooden and glass constructs unharmed. Enzeru did nothing more than hold the door open as the demon continued charging across the floor of the massive room towards the unmoving Dante. Yet it's seemingly unstoppable stride was halted instantly when a single, pale hand moved out into its path and ceased its charge quickly enough to cause it whiplash.

"What?!" It roared from a large mouth filled with suitably jagged teeth.

When it gazed down at what had stopped it the red eyes found a much smaller girl who sat in her couch, still looking at the object of her affection.

Not a moment before it began to bring its claws up to swipe at her a gigantic metal cello case hit it square in the chest and knocked it to the ground. One of the doors of the case opened on impact and allowed a katana to fly out into the air, ready to be caught by its brown-eyed wielder and drawn from the sheath before being impaled through the monster's skull. The red eyes faded as the sword was withdrawn and the inhabitants of both the couches and the chair behind the desk rose from their seats.

"I guess I owe you a thank you or something for keeping me from having to fix my doors again huh?" Dante asked Enzeru semi-sarcastically while approaching the group that coalesced near the door.

"Don't mention it. Besides, I didn't want you to be able to use that as an excuse for holding back when distinguishing funds." He teased, glancing out the doorway.

Four demons stood in the small parking lot in front of the shop, glaring at the group that lay in wait within it. Their forms were big and bulky, and their skin a dark-grayish purple.

"So, how are we going to do this?" He asked like deciding between bread and butter or salad.

"We'll take them two-by-two. You can have your own." Dante spoke, spinning his trademark handguns through the air fast enough to produce a foreboding sound.

"Sounds good."

A huge volley of fire leapt from the guns in Dante's and Lady's hands and suppressed the demons as the other ran out at them underneath the suppressive fire.

A black form darted out faster than the others and Haji grabbed the arms of one of the demons as Saya approached the two to finish it off. Before the others could so much as breathe some foul breathe in its direction to help, a blue after-image slid through space and impaled a sword in the hands of another, giving Vergil an opening to use his katana to best of his abilities.

"No time to focus on anyone else." Enzeru reminded his own target, crossing his legs to establish a solid root and then plunging the other foot into a demon's mid-section, blasting it away. At the same time the sounds of heavy hides tearing and the "whoosh" of swords cutting through the air could be heard as two of the demons were felled.

The black-haired man continued at a leisurely pace towards the stumbling demon that gripped its stomach and attempted to rise while the only standing demon was turned to Swiss cheese by combined gunfire from the two gun-wielders who remained in the doorway of the shop.

"Y- you won't change anything doing this! You think this is all that is coming?! There are thousands of us coming for you-"

A pale hand leapt for its mouth, holding the jaw closed so it could no longer speak, and raising the abnormally tall demon up into the air. The grinning man held it aloft with a single arm as he brought the other hand up from his side.

"I'm counting on that."

The free hand leapt up just as the demon gasped in surprise and crushed its skulls inwards, splintering into its brain.

Enzeru let go of the thing's head and let it fall to a heap on the pavement.

"And thanks for your business. Please tell your friends about us."

The humorous little quip was the last signs of attention he gave to the demon, and Enzeru turned around, walking back over to the group.

"Hm, that wasn't very much fun _was_ it?" He asked semi-rhetorically.

"It was _kind _of fun." Diva added, withdrawing her sword from a demon's dismembered hands.

"Well, I suppose at the very least none of us are going to have to wait very long for business to get better."

"Well we'll get started on that tomorrow, I'm going to bed." Dante remarked, spinning his guns back into their holsters.

"'Night all." He added, walking away from the doorway and earning a sigh from Lady.

"I'm tired _too_!" Diva spoke, though with greater enthusiasm in her voice.

"I guess that means I'll retire as well." Added Vergil.

"I think perhaps I will sit down for a while." Haji spoke quietly.

"What?" Saya asked virtually everyone, since the four people had all decided to rest within about five seconds.

Enzeru chuckled and looked away, towards the sky.

"Ha, it's no problem. I'd better be heading back to my place as well. I'll see what's happening and get back to you all tomorrow."

An involuntary yawn from Saya enlightened her to her own fatigue and prompted her to blush out of embarrassment.

"Oh, I guess I'll lie down too."

The sound of a clip hitting the steps of the shop and falling tumbling down them as Lady loaded another one into its previous place signaled that she wasn't quite done with the night yet as the others entered the shop.

"I think I'm going to go out and do another job before turning in. Someone make sure that the door isn't locked, alright?" She asked.

Someone answered her and she walked down the steps.

"Do you have a ride?" Enzeru asked her, not having left yet.

Her gaze flickered up to him and into his eyes. Though they were said to be the "windows to the soul" his seemed to be, in that metaphor, _tinted _windows. Really, his entire face almost looked like a mask with the way his expression was constantly grinning; it was off-putting. Still, he hadn't done anything suspicious since reappearing that one night years ago when Vergil and the others had succeeded in killing his sociopath brother.

"No, my bike's in the shop."

"Bike?"

"Motorcycle." She explained.

He chuckled as she walked past him, all of her guns holstered.

"Oh, I see."

He let her walk a few more steps further.

"Would you like a ride?"

She stopped and looked back at him.

"A ride?"

"Just a ride. Promise."

She hesitated for a moment, looking at him and knowing it was an exercise in futility trying to search for any genuine honesty in it.

"Alright."


	5. Curious chiropteran

It was getting quite cold at night; the wind that blew on her arm as Lady held it on the door felt like it was freezing the top layer of skin that she had. Having the window down shouldn't have been that big of a deal, especially when they weren't going very fast or anything.

Enzeru's car was definitely sporty, and must have definitely been expensive. She couldn't imagine how he'd managed to make enough money to buy it, and yet still have enough for food. Who knew? Maybe he just survived on the uneasiness he got out of others.

The job he was taking her to was no big deal; a couple of demons in a warehouse that person had seen once, and told them about in the hopes of getting rid of it before they discovered him. He was essentially another random citizen that had no concept of the "demon" world in which they lived, and was willing to pay them decently to _remain _that way.

"So, is there anything special about this that warrants your staying out to get it done?" Enzeru questioned, managing to straddle the line between sounding like he was curious, and like he was only making conversation.

Lady glanced at him and saw the man's black hair blowing wildly, and yet somehow looking almost like it had been choreographed. Though both their windows were down there shouldn't have been enough speed behind them to make his hair fly about so dramatically.

"No, not really. I just figured I'd do something today to make it easier for us tomorrow."

He chuckled.

"You're a very mature young lady." He spoke, almost like an ancestor approving of their descendents. However, the statement caught her off-guard and prompted her to make a "countermove".

"How old _are _you _anyway_?" She questioned him. Lady knew he was older than he appeared, but neither Vergil nor Diva had ever really gone into deep talk about him before.

"I believe it was in the fifteen-hundreds that I lived; though once it seemed so vivid it is now as vague as a single blade of grass as one would drive by it on a thruway."

Her eyebrows rose in both a bit of surprise and interest, and caused the girl to look at him consistently.

"Do you have any family?"

His head moved just a hair to the right, to show he didn't understand what she meant.

"I suppose 'ancestors' would be a better word."

"Oh! Well… I suppose I _had _daughter that has so many 'greats' in front of her name I could start counting now and still be going by sun-up… but she died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry. Who was she?"

He glanced at her as they seemed to have magically arrived in the warehouse district.

"To be honest, I don't know. I managed to trace my lineage back to her through family records that were astonishingly still intact, even after all of these years. However, I know that she died an accidental death in a fire, a few years ago."

A memory of their decent-sized country house enveloped in flames popped into her mind and reminded the girl of when she'd seen her father kill her mother, as well as other people, in the name of attaining demon-hood. It was, without a doubt, her most traumatic and needless to say, most tragic memory in her whole history.

"I'm sorry to hear that. My mother died in a fire too, so I know what it's like to lose a loved one like that."

Another small chuckle made it from his throat as he turned onto the block which "her" warehouse resided within.

"Strangely enough, I felt nothing; after being isolated and desensitized within the demon realm for so long, death is little more than a word to me in terms of significance anymore. Though…"

He turned to look at her, pulling his car to a stop and looking directly into her eyes, causing the girl to back away, towards the door, a bit. His eyes glowed momentarily; they glowed different colors, with one gaining a golden hue while the other one's cold blue tint resembled that of ice.

"It seems that the heretical condition of 'heterochromia' still maintains itself in the gene pool."

Her brown and blue eyes both trembled for a moment, before he chuckled again and put the vehicle in park.

"I believe this is your stop, is it not?" He asked politely, with some humor in his tone.

She shook herself mentally, and put a hand on her car door, turning the handle.

"Right."

"I'll see you when you've finished up."

She swallowed.

"Right."

Then she opened the door and got out, closing it behind her and walking around the back of the car onto the concrete walk that surrounded the warehouses.

"_I'm going to need to do a whole lot of demon-killing to get my mind off of this one." _She thought wile walking down an "alley" created by the gap between two warehouses.

"_The guy who hired us said it was eight-twenty-six."_

The brass name-plates that were supposed to list each warehouse's number had all fallen into a "state of disrepair"; they were all too messed up to distinguish between a "G" and a "1", and it took her a while to find it. When she _did _it was because of the big, ugly letters on the side of each warehouse, as opposed to the once-pretty little number-plates, that led her to the right place.

Lady stood outside the "warehouse", which was really more like a big garage than any kind of real warehouse. All that the concrete structure offered her, aside from big white numbers printed on it in bold, was a slide-up metal door.

She pulled a handgun from its holster and chambered a round, taking a cautious step forward.

"_A few lowly demons… a minute, maybe two, and I'm out of here. So I'd better be able to find a way to work out this confusion quick." _She reminded herself.

Lady took another step forward, beginning to inch downward, reaching for the handle of the metal door, when suddenly a large ape-like hand with claws coming from it tore through the hard metal, and a large form barreled at her from within. Her natural instincts came in handy, as there was no time to think about what to do, and the young demon-hunter dove out of the way of the attack, just as the massive body of muscle crushed in the back of the warehouse she'd stood in front of.

She looked up from her position on the ground, instantly spotting its bright white eyes that seemed to glow like a neon sign, glaring at her over one of its big shoulders. The thing's body was as big-boned as a mule, and as muscled as an ape. It's ears looked vaguely bat-like, but everything else more or less matched the features of a "werewolf".

These descriptions flew through her mind as she sprang up from her position on the concrete.

The monster pulled its powerful arms from the rubble of a warehouse's walls and turn to face her, panting and drooling on it in large amounts.

"My, you're a pretty one _aren't _you?" She asked sarcastically.

Its ears twitched and apparently the thing heard her, as it charged forward once again like a monstrous football player, taught how to play by a bull.

She shot it a few times with her handgun before diving out of its path, down another row of the warehouses. Before it could rear around to charge again, she slipped out of sight, ignoring the minor scrapes and bruises she'd gotten, and pulling free another gun from its holster.

"_It looks like those chiropterans we've fought before; the third-generation ones. But its appearance is more bestial than monstrous. A different breed maybe?" _She questioned, slowing moving her way along the wall of the nearest warehouse without making a noise, as the monster looked for her.

"_It's only a matter of time before it gets impatient and starts tearing down everything in sight, and that won't help at all. I've got to find a way to kill it if it's a demon, or stun it if it's one of those chiropterans; long enough to get back to the car."_

An unnatural-sounding roar told her that the game of hide-and-seek was over, and that the game of "tag everything in sight" was on.

She pushed away from the cold concrete wall and fired multiple shots into the side of the thing's large face; it sounded like bb's hitting a side of meat and though the bullets penetrated its muscle and most likely its skull, they were soon pushed back out as the thing turned to face her.

If she only had Kalina Ann with her, stunning this thing long enough to get away wouldn't be a problem. With the weapons she had now, Lady wasn't sure if she'd be able to _survive_; these things were invincible unless you had the right "queen's" blood or could do enough severe damage to it, like behead the thing for instance. Neither of which she had or could do right now.

Bullets continued to fire from her handguns as Lady backed away, the thing preparing to charge even as more bullets pounded into its hard skin. But its sudden decrease in height as it bent down slightly revealed that it was about to leap once more.

Lady pushed off the concrete with a foot, aiming for the relative cover of an unseen side of a warehouse as the thing tore by, its body close enough to knock her trailing hand's gun from its grip, though luckily the massive bulk didn't touch the hand itself, otherwise it might have gotten broken.

From her waist the free hand pulled a grenade and as the monster reared around once more she pulled the pin from it and leapt away, throwing the active grenade into the thing's mouth.

Lady landed hard on her back on the ground, but managed to avoid keeping her head from whacking against the concrete while rolling away, once again behind the cover of a warehouse, lying flat on the ground afterwards as the grenade detonated and blew a large sphere of shrapnel all around it, as well as likely incinerating the thing's head.

Chunks of rubble, luckily none big enough to trap or seriously injure her, fell from the wall of concrete nearest her, which meant the grenade had gone through the other wall opposite this one in the process; the thing was either dead or damaged enough for her to get away.

"_Here's hoping anyway." _She thought.

The demon-huntress ran back the way she came, or at least _hoped _she'd came, to get to Enzeru and his car. She didn't particularly trust him as a rule, but at the very least he would hopefully kill the chiropteran if it were still alive and chasing her.

The rows of similar-looking building seemed to flash by as she ran down the "aisle", finally making it to the wall amongst the edge of the area.

"_Almost there. Left? Or was it right?"_

She heard the monster, evidently not quite dead, chasing after her, and knew that she didn't have time to flip a coin; she ran right, and hoped that the gate nearby would materialize along the wall's expanse soon.

Not long after she'd made her choice, Lady heard the chiropteran chasing after her down the same aisle. And despite it's large size it was gaining on her.

"_Damnit. I am not going to get killed by some random monster!" _She yelled in her head, pumping her arms harder to increase her speed.

Up ahead someone stepped into the "aisle" and looked around, looking a bit curious. It didn't take long to see it was Enzeru, looking for her and chewing on the inside of his mouth like she was taking too long at a grocery store.

"_Bastard."_

She waved her hands, giving up the extra speed they gave her in the hopes of flagging his attention down before the thing could get her. His head turned to face her direction and, without his expression changing in the least, raised an arm, sending a bluish-white flame past her and onto the chiropteran.

Lady slowed her pace as she neared him, and looked over her shoulder.

The chiropteran, nearly-invincible or not, was dying; the blue-white flame had completely consumed it and spread like, well, _wildfire_, across its entire body. Few things could completely kill a chiropteran. But if it was something that continued to damage to body, and burn away what was used to heal it, that would do the trick.

"It looks like your target was a bit stronger than an average demon." He stated playfully.

Though she was always suspicious of him, she doubted he'd set up something like this just to get rid of her. She hated to admit it, but when it came down to it, she wasn't much use against the biggest threats their group faced; hell, the last time anything major had happened Haji and she had been left behind to wait at the shop.

"Shut up, I lost a gun to that thing, not to mention I got so worked up over it I probably won't be tired again for another _hour _or two."

He shrugged.

"Read a book, or polish that missile launcher you use all the time."

As the monster lowered to the ground, temporarily dead and _about _to be done for _good_, she turned away and walked past him.

"You mean Kalina Ann? I already cleaned it this morning." Lady told him while walking around the side of the car and getting in her seat.

"You named your weapon? That's interesting; usually only demonic weapons have their own names." He remarked, walking over to the car and taking up his own space in the driver's seat before turning it on.

"I named it after my mother."

"Hm. That's a nice name."

Though she got easily touchy over the subject of her mother, and this man wasn't really her first choice to talk to her about, she would take a compliment, since she didn't see him trying to do anything else by it.

"Thanks."

He pulled away from the curb and turned the car around to face back towards the shop, before the drove back out into the cold night, Lady still wondering what it was exactly, that she'd just fought.


	6. Strange feelings

"Diva?"

She moved her head slightly to show that she was acknowledging him; it was a behavior she'd learned since often someone could be saying something to her and, though she would be listening, would show no signs of it and get the person angry. Usually it had been Vergil.

"What is it?" He asked her from behind, the girl lying on her side in their bed, facing away from him.

The lights were off and the window was open slightly to keep the room cool, but not make it cold.

When Diva had moved into his room with him, little had truly changed; another dresser was added, filling up some of the empty space along his room's white walls, and now there sat a vanity where she could brush her long hair; it was something she had taken to doing since their relationship had deepened, though even _she _wasn't exactly sure why.

His fairly-small room still had room for walking space, but that was about it. It wasn't much of a deal, though, because the only time they tended to be in here was when they were waking up or going to bed.

A hand came over to her, she felt it coming before it had made a sound; they could feel each other's movements now, like one were inside the other. It placed itself on her shoulder that stuck up into the air and rubbed it gently.

Diva smiled and covered it as best she could with her own.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I thought I felt a 'mouse' around."

"Mouse" or "mice" was a nickname originally given to the mass-produced chiropterans by their pursuers, and it had become slang for "chiropteran", more for the sake of making it less awkward when either Diva or Saya were to sense one coming; "I feel a mass-produced chiropteran created by a chemical injected or consumed by them coming" wasn't exactly catchy, nor practical in a life-or-death situation.

"Nearby?" He asked; there wasn't really any worry in his voice.

She shook her head.

"Not really. Just in a close area; not near the building or anything."

"Why did that draw your attention?"

It was a natural question to ask, as she'd felt chiropterans around the area before, and hadn't even bothered to mention it unless asked or if she wanted something fun to do.

"It felt… different, somehow. I'm not sure how to explain it."

"I could go look for it if you'd like." He offered, not really wanting to, but willing.

"It's dead now anyway." She stated, rolling around in bed to face him with a smile.

"Never mind about that." She added, leaning forward and giving him a peck on the lips.

"Let's just go to sleep."

He smiled back at her and drew the girl closer. Diva dug her head against his chest and pulled a blanket over his revealed shoulder.

Diva rubbed a foot against his sleep-pants while snuggling against him in her nightgown.

"By the way, Vergil, have you given any thought to…"

He looked away from her for the first time since they'd laid down, but she drew his gaze back with a hand on his chin.

"If you're not ready yet, we won't. It's as simple as that."

Vergil nodded just enough to be able to give a response; changed or not, it was still hard for him to get used to not being able to just tell someone off or _cut _them off, literally, when something made him feel uncomfortable.

"I'll wait forever, if forever is how long you want me to wait, my love." She spoke to him, completely unaffected by the dramatic way in she'd conveyed her feelings.

Vergil closed his eyes and laid his head on a pillow, smiling to himself more at her willingness to endure something for him than the statement on its own. Had someone met Diva five or so years ago they would have known that at that time _Diva _did not _wait _or _endure _for _anyone_. Then again, she didn't have anyone _worth _it.

"_I love him, and he loves me. Nothing else matters." _She thought happily. The thought had been repeated in her mind many times, but never as an excuse, and it never got old either. For two people, both now forever young and invincible to the stressors of this world, love was all they needed.

Diva noted, however, that there was a feeling building up inside her. She didn't know what the feeling was, and had never felt it before. But for some reason, as time grew on, the feeling strengthened in intensity.

"I love you." They both said at the same time, causing both of them to give a quick little breath of a laugh.

"_I love you." _She repeated in her mind.

"_That's all I need to be happy."_

* * *

She woke up with a weird feeling.

Saya's sleep had gone on unabated since she'd first fallen into it, and yet now something was bothering her enough to wake the girl from her slumber.

Haji, as always, was nearby and looked at her, his serene face helped calm the nerves which had woken her up.

"Did you have a bad dream?" He asked in a calm tone.

She thought about it, but recalled nothing, and shook her head.

"No, something just woke me up; I'm not sure what it was."

He sat in his chair, letting her sift through what she needed to.

"It felt… like there was a chiropteran around. But it felt different than usual."

"Different?"

She nodded.

"Yes. Almost like it wasn't of Diva's blood. Or of delta-six-seven."

"Aside from your own blood, Diva's and that chemical made as a result of using her blood are the only things that can produce chiropterans." Haji explained, even though they both knew that.

"I don't know… maybe my senses have just gotten weaker or desensitized because we haven't been consistently hunting chiropterans for years now."

The dark room was mostly faceless; only a dresser and a bed stood in it, with a rug on the floor. The walls were brown, while the ceiling was white. There wasn't much of a personality to it, but that was fine; the rest of Dante's building had more than enough personality to make up for it.

"I'm sorry. It's nothing." She apologized, laying back down on the bed and pulling the blankets over herself again.

"_Something's going on. I don't know what, but there's definitely something strange happening."_

* * *

The wind blew his hair about as his car sped down the road. To the best of his knowledge, it was illegal to go this fast. However, there didn't seem to be any policemen around so it wasn't a problem.

The streetlights that flew by were mostly unlit; this wasn't exactly a well-maintained section of the city after all.

"What a shame; all of these nice old building and some silly people have let them fall into such a state of disrepair." He thought out loud.

Enzeru had spent the majority of his money fixing up a place in the city. Though to be more accurate, he'd spent the majority of it _buying _the place and was now spending money on fixing it up.

The road went from being shaky to having potholes all over the place, and he slowed down so that his car didn't go flipping into a tree.

"Oh wait, there aren't any trees here anymore _are _there?" He asked the air.

This area of the city wasn't even inhabited by poor people; it was as if the times had left it behind, abandoned it really. The landscape that had likely once been beautiful now consisted of some weeds on either side of the driveway that appeared nearly out of thin air and the old road was, well, bumpy and full of holes.

"Still, it's worth it." He reflected as his car drew closer to his home, and a large, old-style building seemed to appear out of the night. It was a tall building, though not very wide, and had a gate in its middle that allowed permitted cars to drive through. Running out of the sides of the third story to its left and right came stone walls, complete with battlements for an added touch.

"Alright, so maybe I spent more money on the car than I did on using my incredibly limited powers to make me a little castle in the middle of the dead section of the city. But hey, who doesn't have a few harmful sensitivities?"

He'd essentially wasted what god-awesome powers he had at one time on making this place what it was. Granted it still wasn't bright and shiny but at least now no one could say he didn't live in style. Unless they didn't like castle walls. But then again, who _doesn't _like castle walls?

He drove his car up near the gate, where two dull light in ornate fixtures stuck out on either side, and looked through the narrow slit in the wall to his left where a guardsmen would normally be sitting, ready to let in those who were allowed, and take care of those who weren't.

"Hey, Bill, how's it going?" He asked the dark slit.

A moment later he snapped his fingers and the gate slowly opened with a squeak, allowing him passage inside. The car drove forward and its headlight illuminated what could be mistaken for a small cathedral if one didn't know what it was; gothic architecture stretched out on a canvas of 3-D stone and buttresses supported the building, as well as its spires, which framed the moon that sat high in the sky between them like a football being kicked through a goalpost.

To his sides, and all the way around the building was about twenty feet worth of lawn, in a bit better condition than the buildings themselves, and immediately in front of the ancient-looking building was a small parking lot made of the same stone as the building itself.

The gates closed behind his car and he continued driving onwards, the lampposts that sided his drive path glowing so bright and white it reminded him of that one chiropteran's eyes.

"That sure was strange. I've never seen one like that before. I wonder if fashion has changed; vampires are out and werewolves are in? I couldn't tell you."

His car turned and he parked it in the parking lot. Before he turned the car off Enzeru bent down and back to get some groceries out of the back seat. Once the handles of the bags were firmly in hand he turned back towards the front-

-and saw two figures standing beside the lamppost that marked his parking space.

The lights about the area flickered, and then went out.


	7. Plantastic

"White eyes, huh? What is this? An old super-Nintendo game; the same dude with a different color scheme is magically completely different?" Dante mocked as he woke up on his couch.

Lady sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to get her point across if she got worked up.

Vergil and Diva were both on their own couch, though Diva much like Dante was taking a bit longer to wake up; she decided to remedy this by napping on the couch with her head in Vergil's lap.

Saya and Haji were on their own furniture and Saya seemed a bit surprised at her mention of the strange creature she had encountered last night.

"You mean it looked more bestial than normal?"

The elder girl turned to face Saya, glad that_ someone_ was taking this seriously.

"Yeah; it had fur and stuff on it, as well as glowing white eyes. And it didn't look like it was trying to grab me to bite me either; it just wanted to kill me."

"You said that Enzeru guy took care of it, so what's the big deal? They'll still die if we cut its head off."

Lady sighed again and sat on the arm of a couch.

The large room was quite cold; being that it was late Fall and though they had gained more money over the years heat was still an issue with such a large space. And the cold air that permeated the room chilled her unprotected legs.

"The point isn't that the chiropterans are looking different now; it's that the whole thing that Enzeru was talking about looks like it's already happening. And chiropterans aren't demons; they come from the human world. There shouldn't be anything different about them."

"A demon could have possessed it." Vergil commented, having previously just been listening to the conversation.

Lady shook her head.

"I don't think so. From what I could tell its abilities weren't any different, and it acted more or less the same way the others usually do in terms of the way it fought."

"So we have to worry about _why _they're different." Saya explained, voicing Lady's semi-hidden point.

"Exactly."

The cold air that hung in the room didn't ease the atmosphere in the slightest. In fact, the thinness of it added an air of pessimism to everything.

"Perhaps some sort of pharmaceutical company got its hands on that substance originally used to turn people into chiropterans and altered it slightly." Vergil spoke, though he was obviously just voicing one of multiple possible theories.

"But what did they change then?" Lady asked herself more than anyone else.

Vergil leaned back into his couch more, Diva following after him and now cuddling against his chest as he thought.

"Maybe Saya's blood won't kill them now. That would be a practical change."

Saya bit her lip in thought as the other two active members of the conversation thought as well.

Dante scratched his head and leaned forward on his couch.

"Eh, it's nothing to worry about right now. We've got a whole _legion _of demons headed our way; we can save the "who" and "from where" and "why" until we've cleaned up this big mess that's coming."

"I guess you're right." Lady spoke with a tone that made her troubled thoughts evident in it.

There were a few moments of silence before Lady remembered something else.

"I also got the feeling last night that I was being watched when I came home."

"Probably just some demon." Dante said, blowing it off.

"Maybe. But I don't think so. I didn't get the 'demon' vibe. It felt like something or some_one _else was watching me."

"You've got a stalker. Congratulations."

"Very funny. At least I don't need to go to 'love planet' to find someone who'll chase me around."

"Oh ho! Ouch!"

Both they and even Vergil gave a little chuckle to that.

"Hey, what you laughing for asexualle?" Dante joked, making the last word sound like a Spanish one as best he could.

"You couldn't get a-"

Diva rose up slightly from Vergil's chest and turned his head, locking her lips against his and moaning as she "unintentionally" waved her rear in the air.

"Woah." Dante spoke.

Saya blushed.

"Diva!"

She giggled and returned to her previous sleeping position.

Vergil recovered from Diva's "attention" and shook off the embarrassment.

"I wonder when Enzeru's going to call." He spoke, trying to get a new subject going.

"Yeah, I want to get some demon ass-kicking in before breakfast." Dante concurred.

"It's eleven-forty-three, Dante." Lady reminded him.

He shrugged.

"Lunch then."

"Now that I think about it, what if the demons completely take over the city? Who will be able to pay us for slaying them if they are all dead?" Vergil questioned.

Dante clicked his tongue.

"He's got a point."

"Well what are we going to do? Refuse to save the city if no one will pay for it?" Lady retorted.

"Nah, nothing like that. But I _would _like to make some money off of saving everyone's ass. With my kind of luck anyone I still owe debts will survive somehow and want me to pay them right back after that's all done."

"You've got bigger problems to deal with than who you owe _money_." Vergil spoke, drawing everyone's gaze.

After a few moments of silence Dante spoke.

"Like what?"

A verbal response was not Dante's answer, though it _was audible_; they heard dozens of screams coming from down the street, and from the sounds of the screams, they were all coming from love planet.

"I suppose whatever _that _is." Vergil answered with some humor as he lightly shifted Diva off of him, starting to get up as the others immediately got up from their couches to go to the windows and look out on what was going on.

"Well, no super-sized demon _yet_." Dante commented, seeing nothing but half-naked girls and old dudes running around screaming their lungs out, some covered in blood.

"Huh, guess there's something kinky going on."

"Dante…" Lady warned him.

He smirked a bit at that and moved over to the doors, opening them and walking out into the parking lot outside.

The people were all running to their cars, fumbling with the keys to get into them or just outright smashing the windows in so they could get into the believably-safe confines of their vehicles.

Dante still didn't see what was causing the trouble; the building looked fine from what he could see. As he gazed at the place the others came out as well, though they were all wearing some manner of sleeping clothes or "I'm waking up" clothes.

"I wonder what the big deal is." Dante mused, walking down the street towards the building.

The others began to follow after him but he waved them away.

"Don't worry, I've got this. No big deal. Go eat some cheerios or something."

Dante continued walking confidently down the street, screaming people running past him in terror as he drew closer and closer to the building. Though it took him about two minutes or so to reach the place at his current pace, by the time he'd reached it there were still no signs of violence other than the people who were fleeing.

He thought about what kind of demon it could be for a second before shrugging and walking through the door, going down the short hall before he came to the main room of the love planet.

"Home sweet home." He said while observing the garish red furniture and décor, as well as the bar covered in broken glass and booze from those who'd fled from it, and pairs of pants some jackasses had actually left behind.

"Oh. There you are." He observed, seeing some sort of man-sized plant sucking in a stripper's body. The plant looked much like a gigantic flower from what he could see; its leaves were purple with red at the edge, conveying a sort of poisonous atmosphere even though he didn't think he smelled or felt anything in the air.

"But how the hell did it manage to kill everyone if its just a venus flytrap? What's it got free tickets for two to Cancun or something in its mouth?"

The flower finished sucking the corpse in and one of her shoes flew up into the air, only to be snatched by something that looked like a tentacle or tongue, and got pulled back down. However, it was soon launched back up into the air and the thing landed, dissolving in some kind of acid it was covered in, near Dante's feet.

"Thanks, but they're not my size." He spoke sarcastically as the shoes was completely dissolved by the acid which then ate its way down through the floor and out of sight.

He looked at the flower for a few more moments before searching for something to kill it with, as he hadn't brought any weapons with him but his own two "guns".

As he did the petals suddenly drew down, spilling the corrosive acid out onto the floor, eroding it in an ever-expanding circle. The acid smelled like some kind of weird exotic plant, which made sense, he guessed.

"Told those guys they should've let the 'planet' thing alone and not grow plants in soil they got from the moon but did they listen? Nope."

The fumes from the acid rose about the flower and he saw something a lot easier to look at than some red and purple leaves.

"hey, babe, what're you doing in a flower like that?" He asked the pale-pink-colored girl who stood within the middle of the flower. She had a nude, humanoid body but dark purple veins running up along her legs from the flower as well as hair that looked to double as an iv feed.

"Hey, get it? Iv… ivy…"

She looked at him with a monotone expression and he drew closer, making sure not to step into the pool of acid about her.

"Hey, what say after this we go get a bite to eat?"

Her eyes flared and she opened her mouth, her tongue whipping out at him and blasting him through the building's walls, across the street, and through his longest-lasting doors. The man crashed into his desk and tumbled over it, landing perfectly in his chair behind it.

Dante leaned back in it, pushing himself and his chair up and down with his legs on the desk, thinking about it as his gaze fell to Ebony & Ivory.

"Guess not."


	8. The strangers

"I suppose Dante's method of resolving the issue didn't work particularly well." Vergil joked.

Diva giggled, as did Lady, and Saya couldn't help but at least smile at that.

"Alright! It's _on_ now!" Came a declaration from inside the shop. None of them bothered to look over their shoulders to see what he was doing as they knew he'd emerge soon enough. Instead, they fixed their attention on the building from which he'd been hit through, and noticed that it was beginning to tremble.

"So… plant?" Lady asked, pulling out a handgun she always kept on her person just in case.

"Plant." Came the others as they noticed the foundation of the building's walls cracking, like caulk coming away from the edge of a bathtub. Soon enough, they saw vines slip out from the cracks and both climb up the walls and travel across the street in front of the building, scaring off what few patrons remained.

"Why can't demons be a bit more creative?" They all heard Dante ask semi-rhetorically from behind them.

"I mean, plant-demon? Who _hasn't _done that before?" He continued whiled passing the five by a few feet before stopping, tossing Vergil's katana and Diva's small sword to them from a single hand while sliding Kalina Ann and Lady's waist-belt from his shoulder to her so the girl could affix them properly.

Haji opened his cello case and gave Saya her katana. The two shorter blades meant to be used in tandem which she'd used against Diva when the fought in the shop years ago were there too, but she chose to stick with the weapon she was most accustomed to.

"I mean, why not a _cheese_ demon?"

"Swiss?" Lady joked, fixing the gun belt around her waist.

"Cheddar." He responded.

"No one likes cheddar." Vergil spoke.

"Oh come on, _everyone _likes _cheddar_."

"Well I guess it's because they'd have to wait for it to ferment; too much time."

"Oh yeah."

Diva pulled her sword from its sheath and placed it on the ground, as did Vergil. Though he used to use it both in the iaijutsu way and the kenjutsu way, fancy names for drawing the sword from the sheath and attacking with the sword already out of its sheath respectively, he now only attacked with the sword out of its sheath.

"It's like you're hiding in it or something." Diva had told him one time, mostly as a joke. But he'd eventually come to realize that keeping the sword in its sheath for the most part while in battle had been yet another metaphor for keeping his heart locked away. As had she, so Diva had hid the sheath on top of the refrigerator until Vergil agreed to be more open.

He suspected there wouldn't be much time to sheathe his sword while fighting this enemy _anyway_; something about plant demon told him "constantly attacking tentacles".

The building itself began to shake as said tentacles sprouted from its walls, coming out between the paths of ivy and feeling at the air as the top of the building suddenly burst apart and a large purple-red flower emerged from it.

"Oh! Pretty!" Diva exclaimed.

"Vergil, will you get me that?"

"I think it's a bit too big to pin to a dress like a brooch or something."

"Just a petal then."

"Still too big."

She frowned, stealing energy from him in the process and not giving it back to him until he compromised.

"Alright, we'll see if there are smaller ones inside of it or something."

She nodded, happy again.

"Don't be fooled, there's a hot chick with a long, hard-ass tongue in there."

The group around him, including even Haji, slowly turned their heads towards him.

"That's what she used to hit me through the friggin' wall."

Most of them gave an "oohhhhhhhhhh!" expression as everyone faced towards the flower which still had not blossomed.

"So, should we wait for it to open up so we can attack it?" Saya asked.

"Nah, lets just chop up all the roots and stuff until she has to open up to grab someone; that's how she got that big to begin with; she ate Candy."

"Candy?"

"You know, one of the hostesses."

"…no, I _didn't _know that. Though I suppose that's not a very surprising name for a 'hostess' to have."

"Well that's because not even a-" Dante cut himself off, remembering how Diva had "disproved" his last statement of Vergil not being desirable to anyone.

"Anyway, not the point; we just have to get it to open that flower at the top and kill the chick inside it. Doesn't sound too complicated to me."

"Me neither." Diva responded.

"Let's go kill it so I can eat my lucky charms cereal in peace." He finished.

"Agreed; this is too early for them to start attacking us. They could have at least waited until noon or sometime like that."

"Cut the jokes, let's just get this over and done with." Lady commented, slinging Kalina Ann over her shoulder.

The others agreed and both Dante and Lady ran straight down the street, heading for the plant demon, while Saya & Haji and Vergil & Diva each flanked it on their respective sides.

From the cracks in the building the tentacles almost seemed to spot them by eyesight, and twitched back and forth menacingly like a cat's tail as it prepared to attack.

Dante pulled rebellion from its sheath on his coat and swung it backwards to scratch against the pavement, of course not even dulling the weapon's finish. It made the most horrible of sounds, like a knife being dragged along a chalkboard, as he burst out of his walk into a run and hacked a tentacle in half.

The flanking groups neared the building's position as the other tentacles moved in towards Dante, the nearest two getting bisected by rebellion in the same swipe as bullets shot out from Lady's guns to stun the others long enough for him to repeat the process many times over.

They hissed somehow as they were damaged; whether that was because they could make their own sound or because their bluish green blood spurted out from their "veins" with each attack was hard to tell.

Dante ran for the entrance as soon as he'd finished up with the nearest batch of tentacles. He aimed to get to the thing's roots and do some real damage, but from the doors burst a much larger tentacle than usual, striking at him and forcing the man to block with rebellion to keep from getting his entire bone structure from being shattered.

His boots ground against the pavements as he slid away from the force of the attack, and Lady holstered her guns while pulling Kalina Ann from her back to fire a rocket at the thing. As if in response, the tentacle split apart and from it emerged over a dozen smaller tentacles, all moving out in a spherical pattern before aiming back inwards to strike at her from all side. She fired anyway, and the single rocket sailed past all of the tentacles as they headed towards her.

Dante twisted around the rocket, cutting it in half as he did so, before cutting it many more times so that the explosive projectile would blast into the stem of every one of the tentacles, effectively halting their advance long enough for him to leap over their base and cut the single massive one apart. It shook back in forth in pain before sliding back into the building.

"What's the matter? That all you've got?" He taunted, running in after it.

"Dante!" Lady called after him, following him. But as she neared the entrance new tentacles spiked down in front of the doorway like a kind of screen, spearing through one another to create an impassable blockade.

"Damn!" She cursed under her breath, backing away so that the tentacles couldn't lash out at her, though they appeared to be a permanent obstacle; they didn't look like anything more than a gate.

Inside she heard him yelling as he attacked and could only wish the half-demon luck, though she knew he likely didn't need it.

The flower that had burst out of the roof of the building began to rise, and a large, dark-purple stem emerged beneath it. From the stem erupted four massive tentacles, smashing through the nearby buildings like they were air before smacking down towards her. Lady only had enough time to sling Kalina Ann around her back before diving out of their paths.

Her shoulder got brush-burned as it smashed into the pavement, but it was a lot better than being underneath those tentacles as they slammed into the street, the collision resulting in a crater as deep as a car in the rock-hard material while the tentacles rose back into the air.

Despite her pain Lady sprung up, looking at the tentacles as they swayed back and forth. As if on some sort of queue, they rose up and descended towards her in a row-like formation, forcing her to dive backwards this time due to them covering too much horizontal space for any hope of a successful escape.

Almost instantly they slid out from where they had struck the street, leaving four large "grooves" in it, and speared towards her. Lady pulled Kalina Ann from her back and fire a rocket at them, hitting the middle two between each other. However, as the smoke rapidly cleared they continued striking towards her, unabated.

"Damnit." She cursed as they quickly approached her, threatening to ram into her like semis.

Luckily, four people leapt down from the rooftops who had no intention of allowing that to happen. A large case shot through the air like a cannon-ball and wedged between the middle two, forcing them to part and go past Lady, who only flinched as the wind blasted by. Meanwhile, the two katana-wielders slashed down through the outermost tentacles, rending them in half, followed shortly thereafter by a girl thrusting a small-sword through one of the remaining two.

Lady recovered and brought Kalina Ann's barrel up, hacking down with the blade on the end at the last unwounded tentacle so that it couldn't attempt to attack anyone else.

Diva strained with the sword's blade before, with a cute little grunt of effort and a disgusting squelching sound from the tentacle, tore the blade free and cut half of it off. The tentacle writhed in pain before the entire area was bisected many times over by Vergil, Saya performing a similar task to the tentacle nearby Lady.

"Thanks." She spoke in appreciation to them all as Haji landed as well and retrieved his cello case.

"Don't mention it. After all, who would keep Dante in check if you were to end up in the hospital or dead? I'd die of exhaustion trying to do it myself." Vergil, half-joked.

"I won't argue _that_." She responded.

The five of them looked up at the monstrous plant as more tentacles emerged from its massive stem, the eye-less things somehow seeming to catch sight of them.

"So, ten apiece?" Lady asked, reloading any guns that required it as more and more tentacles began to burst out from the stem.

"That sounds about right." Vergil responded.

"The _hell_ it does." Came a voice from inside the building. A moment later the "barrier" of solidified tentacles was blown outward from within the building and a man, covered in purplish red gore, walked out of the opening with a very irritated look on his face.

"With how disgusting this thing's gotten me, I'm going to destroy every single one of 'em _myself_!"

"Dante… I see your smell has improved." Vergil joked.

"Can it. This is my scene now."

"You've already had one, I believe; when the "chick" within the flower slapped you out of the building with her tongue."

"Doesn't count."

"I see."

"You _will _see."

Dante spun Ebony & Ivory out of their holsters and then trained them on the flower at the top of the stem. He rested his fingers on the triggers, and his eyes flared.

The plant, stem, tentacles, and flower all, were enveloped in a bright light as the sounds of clanging and squelching could be heard for nearly half a minute. Then, as abruptly as they'd begun, they ceased.

Dante's guns remained fixated on the plant, completely unused.

"Vergil…"

"Don't look at me. I can't cut fast enough to light up a huge thing like that."

"Then _who_?"

They heard another clanging sound, and then an ocean of blood erupted from the plant as the thousands of slices all seemed to take effect at the exact same moment. It was hard to tell whether the blood fell faster or the innumerable pieces of dead plant which had been carved up far too quickly for something that large.

The pieces smacked into the ground with a noise like someone had dropped raw meat on a hard floor, as the flower alone seemed to be the only thing not instantly falling to pieces, landing instead, nearly whole on the street in front of them.

However, the dramatic death scene was not what caused their attention, it was the image of two figures standing on a nearby building, their swords touching each other, shaded in the dark.

"What the?…"

The figures drew their gazes up slightly to look down at the group, the bright sun behind them, which they all realized had only now seemed to shine, gave them a shady spot from which to look down on the others. It made them look like silhouettes. Or rather, silhouettes of _death_.

Their eyes flashed, one's green and the other's purple, as the figures stood there, glaring down towards the group.


	9. The newcomers

Sorry everyone about how long it took to update; I had a trouble coming up with the newcomers' names and that brought about an even greater case of writer's block. I'll try to make up for the failed updates soon.

* * *

The two young men's gazes narrowed, and they stepped forward, their swords in hand, towards the group.

Vergil reflexively brought up his sword, as did Saya, while one of Dante's hands found its way to rebellion hilt on his back.

"Are they demons?" One of them asked, he sounded like the younger of the two.

The purple-eyed one, his eyes appearing to be more violet than pure purple when they weren't glowing, scanned the group from left to right.

It was still hard to see them, but from what they could tell it seemed like the young men were between Dante's & Vergil's and Saya & Diva's ages. The latter meaning how old they _appeared _to be.

"The middle two; they're half."

"Close enough." The green-eyed one responded, sounding like the more impulsive one, fitting the stereotype of the "young and inexperienced warrior". Though he either had plenty of experience, or a massive amount of raw talent.

"Agreed." The older, calmer one replied.

The companions quickly moved to the edge of the building, and prepared to jump from it, the group below on the street readying themselves. However, just as the young men leapt through the air towards the group, a wall of bluish white fire engulfed the area between the two in an instant.

Their figures could just barely be seen going _backwards _through the air somehow, bringing them back to where they'd begun and bringing the defending group's attention to the person whom launched the attack.

"That's enough of that now. They're not the enemy." A familiar, playful tone chided as Enzeru appeared, the wall of unnaturally-colored flame descending towards the ground before finally dying out.

"Sorry about that; interns… ya know?" He joked, chuckling as he walked over to the group.

With his arrival, the sun seemed to lessen in its intensity, and it was possible to see them more clearly. They were definitely closer to Diva and Saya's visual ages, though they didn't seem to be the _same _age.

Their hair was a black too, but the green-eyed one's hair looked a bit wild and unkempt, like a stray dog. The other's was longer, a bit past his collar, and was parted in the middle, though it was not a "clean" part and far from made him look like a frilly socialite.

Both had pale skin, paler than Diva's and Vergil's, but there almost seemed to be an unnatural healthiness beneath their pale skin, as if it were a front for an epidermis of gold and silver.

The "wild" one's outfit was fairly casual; he wore dark-green jeans, which appeared to be once-black jeans stained with green ink. His shirt was a dark-green as well, and he wore a dark-brown working man's vest and work-boots. His face seemed to be the gentler, or perhaps just more relaxed than the two, and his mouth showed a slight desire to grin.

The other one, meanwhile, was obviously the stricter, more serious of the two, and was dressed almost like an aristocrat; he wore what looked like dulled cowboy boots beneath his black dress-pants, and a white, button-up long-sleeved shirt with a black vest over it.

Both wore black wool long-coats, as well as nearly-matching necklaces with silver chains; the pendant of the younger one's held a relief of a white rose, while the elder's a black one.

They jumped down from the building and approached the group, as well as the large demonic flower.

Vergil had assumed they were coming towards Enzeru, but realized as the elder one slashed off the top of the closed flower that he was after whatever was inside. It was after this that he heard the heavy breathing of whatever lay within it. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was that same plant "chick" whom Dante had claimed attacked him while in love planet.

She was coughing up purplish blood, and looking at the young man with a look mixed with hatred and fear. His face didn't change in the slightest as he rose up his sword and then beheaded the demon, its head rolling around the flower with what would have been the sound of a ball on a carpet.

The man's sword, a katana, was sheathed and Vergil noticed that he had _more _weapons than just the katana. He could easily make out twin swords, a short-sword, a fighting knife, and some throwing knives and was willing to bet there was a hidden one somewhere on his person as well. Somehow the swords and their sheaths seemed to be positioned in a way that wouldn't hamper his mobility.

In contrast, the younger man, who only had one sword and was presently sheathing it, had a single weapon that looked like a large, beaten machete.

The two definitely contrasted one another and due to their exact same facial appearance it was obvious that they were twins.

"_I wonder if we're attracted to this area or something." _He thought on how there were now three sets of twin within a couple yards of each other.

Their youth shadowed Saya and Diva's, while their personalities, from what he could tell, so far reminded him of Dante's and his.

"These are my two interns." Enzeru spoke, ending their evaluations of the new comers.

"Their names are…. Um…. What are your names again, boys?" He asked, bewildered.

"Don't call me boy, ya old fart." The younger one responded, eliciting a chuckle from him.

"The name's Anthony. And no one call me Tony."

"And what about you?" Enzeru asked the elder, who didn't make eye-contact with anyone; however, it seemed more like he had no interest, as opposed to being intimidated or under stress.

He didn't answer, only turning away.

"We've started working, as agreed. Your end?"

Enzeru gave a playful sigh and waved his hand at the young man.

"Fine, fine. Yeah, you can stay where I live, and I'll feed ya. Like I said."

The elder twin began walking away, and Anthony's gaze followed him as his shoes could be heard crunching on the gravel. His younger brother glanced back at the group, telling them his name was "Terrence" before following after him, shouting for him to wait up.

Terrence jumped onto the roof of a building and then walked out of sight, his brother close behind.

As the "characters" disappeared and Enzeru chuckled, Lady let out an "okayyyyyyyy".

"Yeah, I agree, what's going on here?" Dante questioned Enzeru.

"They're the help. Simple as that. They showed up at my house last night and told me that they knew what was going on, and that they would help fight the demons in exchange for a place to sleep and enough food and water to survive."

"They didn't want money?" The man asked him, seeming confused.

"No, nothing more than that. Seemed like quite a bargain to me. So I said 'yes'."

"The elder one's quite the character." Vergil remarked, immediately eliciting a playful laugh from Diva, who touched his arm.

"_You _just don't like him because he reminds you of the way you used to be!" She teased him.

He shrugged and everyone stood there in silence for a few moments. Eventually Saya broke it.

"So what do you know about them?"

"Well, they don't have cell phones, but I can tell you where they live-"

"You know what I mean; what do you know about them that tells you they aren't just trying to get us to lower our guard and then just attack us?"

"I do not think that is the case." Haji disagreed, seeming to surprise her a bit.

"Haji…"

"Though the elder one seems cold-hearted, and the other brash, they both seem to be very direct to me; I do not think they would try something as underhanded as that."

"I gotta agree; not sure what I think of 'em but they definitely don't seem the types to go through big scary schemes to try and kill us." Dante agreed.

"I guess they just make me feel uneasy." Saya spoke.

"Aw, don't worry; your first crush can be like that." Dante joked, eliciting a disgruntled look from Saya and a giggle from Diva.

"Owned."

Everyone turned towards her and she blinked innocently.

"What? That's what the dark-skinned man with the golden teeth and backwards hat on TV said, and everyone seemed to like him."

Vergil patted her on the head like the confused "child" she could arguably be called and then said that one way or another, it didn't really matter.

"If they are trying to surprise us, we can't be sure of it now. The same for if they just genuinely intend to assist us. Regardless, it looks like this neighborhood's population count is going to go down again."

"It's not a big deal; all the less possible collateral damage." Dante spoke.

"Collateral damage to buildings doesn't even qualify for your definition, _does _it?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so."

"Then why'd you ask?"

Vergil sighed.

"Moving on…" He said, getting a grin from Dante at his "victory".

"Since we're obviously dealing with more than just low-level demons now, I think it's important that we find out how to fight back against them; if all we're able to do is defend against legions of demons in this little war we'll eventually die of exhaustion. And I don't see the head demon coming to this world to fight us in person."

"Yeah, we've got to find a way to bring him- er, it, out."

"Well what are we going to do? We can't just go to the local fishing store and buy some 'high-level demon-bait' for twenty-percent off." Lady spoke, causing Enzeru to chuckle again.

"What we _need_, I think, is something to get it's attention; something to give it a _reason _to come into our world." He mused.

"Like what?" Saya asked.

He crossed his arm, and drew his head down in thought.

"Hmmmmm. No clue!" He spoke with a smile at the end. Diva approved, and giggled at him.

Lady rolled her eyes and Dante shrugged. Saya seemed to go into serious thought on how best do what Enzeru had been talking about when he was still being semi-serious, but didn't seem to be able to come up with anything.

"Well in any case, there's nothing left to do now. Here; a map to my house." He told Dante, handing him a folded up piece of paper.

"Or directions, or whatever they're called. Anyway, if you all ever need somewhere to go that is a bit more… durable, than your shop, please stop by."

Dante shrugged and put the piece of paper in a coat pocket.

"Alrighty then, I'm off." He told them.

"Be careful around those two, just in case." Vergil told him.

Enzeru gave a goodbye gesture with a hand as he walked away, soon disappearing from sight.

Vergil found himself falling into thought as well, and soon Diva asked him what it was.

"With a greater demon having failed to so much as wound any of us, I wonder what the "leader's" intentions will be, and its response to this."

"Do you think it will try to send a large number of demons after us?" Saya asked.

"I'm not sure. But one way or another it likely considers this some sort of game; by killing a demon like this, we've upped the ante, so to speak."

"I see."

He thought a bit longer before Diva tugged him out of his thoughts.

"What is it?"

"I want to have breakfast. We haven't had breakfast yet."

"I second that, I'm starving." Lady concurred.

"Third." Dante agreed.

"I am the fourth." Haji added as well.

"You don't even need to eat food." Dante spoke, grinning.

"I still wish to right now."

He shrugged and they all decided to go in and have something to eat.

Dante started back towards the shop, followed by Lady, and then Saya and Haji. Diva started towards the building as well, but stopped when her hold on the sleeve of Vergil's shirt informed her that he hadn't move yet.

"What is it, Vergil?" She asked.

He stared back towards where Temen-Ni-Gru used to be, and he could almost see the massive, ancient stone tower there. But he wasn't yet delusional, and Vergil decided to join them, turning around.

"It's nothing. Let's get going."

She nodded and they walked towards Devil May Cry together.

Still, though he'd told her there wasn't a problem, he could feel things changing; light seemed to be less vibrant, shadows seemed to be bigger, and the air was beginning to go stale; something was coming.


	10. Nightmare's awakening

Once again I apologize for my likely unforgiveable tardiness. I'd explain why it's taking so long, but it'll likely just sound like an excuse. So I'll just post this and get working on the next chapter as soon as possible.

_

* * *

__It was beautiful out here. For so long Diva had been wanting to come, but it had just seemed like they never got around to it. But __**now **__they were finally here._

_The sun was shining brightly in the sky, a yellow disc amongst an infinite expanse of blue. Though there were clouds here and there, they were big a puffy, and none threatened to block the sun's rays._

_The hilltop was covered in lush green grass which was so soft you could sleep in it if you so chose, as well as a single, old tree near the top which shaded the two from being directly amongst the sun's influence, but still allowed them to enjoy its light._

_The blueness of the sky was reflected in the light-blue color of the ocean that swam beneath the cliff, going on as far as one could see and still further. It would be very dangerous to fall from the hill's cliff face but that did not even enter the mind of the two lovers who sat beneath the tree, looking out on the ocean._

_The air had a salty smell to it, and the coolness of the grass beneath the tree was kept from being uncomfortably so by the powerful sun. _

_Diva felt the warm breeze blowing across her face and leaned her head on Vergil's shoulder, who brought his hand up to hold hers and bring her closer._

_She sighed in contentment as the wind continued to softly blow about them._

"_I've been waiting so long for this." She told him._

"_Well take your time enjoying it; we've got all the time we need." He spoke to her softly._

"_Mmmmm." She responded in happiness._

"_I never want this to end."_

"_It doesn't have to." He explained, telling her exactly what she'd wanted to hear._

_Diva closed her eyes and rested against him._

_It was so peaceful out here, and yet free and open; it was what Diva had wished for going on almost __**centuries **__now, and she had finally experienced it, and what's more, she was doing it with the man she loved._

_The clouds began to move, and she felt the shade about them begin to darken, but she did not mind. It just made it easier to go to sleep…_

"…_him." A voice spoke. It sounded like an echo on the wind._

"_Vergil, did you hear something?" She asked._

"_No, why?" He responded._

"_Nevermind."_

_She snuggled against him more and started to fall off to sleep again._

_The shade darkened._

"_Kill…"_

_She opened her eyes and frowned, her hands tightening on Vergil._

"_What is it, Diva?" He asked, obviously knowing something was wrong._

_A cloud was covering the sun, leaving the whole area in shade, as other clouds began to gather in front of the sun as well._

_The breeze continued, but it had grown cold, and she heard the tide of the water knocking against the rocks below._

"_I thought I heard something again."_

_He tried to listen harder, but the voice didn't repeat._

"_I don't hear anything. Maybe you just imagined it."_

"_I'm sure that I heard a voice." She confirmed._

_Vergil drew her closer to him. Diva was more than happy for it, as it made her feel more secure as she continued to wonder what was going on._

"_What did it say?"_

_She debated whether to tell him or not for a few moments, but then decided she should tell him._

"_It sai-"_

"_Kill him."_

_Diva drew even closer to him as she grew less curious as to what was going on, and more apprehensive. _

_The voice gave no form, and it sounded merely like a loud whisper; she couldn't tell whose voice it was or even whether it was a male or a female._

"_Kill him now."_

_She brought a hand up to Vergil's heart, looking around in a vain attempt to see where the voice was coming from._

"_If something here's bothering you let's just leave." He offered, beginning to move them._

"_No!" She started to push him back down to sit by the tree, but she felt something appear in her hands, growing in length through thin air, and flesh._

_A speck of red flew into the air, but was soon carried off by the wind and her eyes followed it._

_She shook her head, not understanding what was happening even as she heard Vergil gasp._

_Diva immediately looked back at him, and saw his face. _

"_**His eyes…"**_

_He didn't look scared or angry; his expression was a mix of shock and hurt, and she understood why as she moved her hands to cup his cheeks, noticing the hand she had placed on his chest was moving from something solid._

_The girl's eyes darted down to the object, and they discovered that it was the handle of a sword, impaled up the hilt in Vergil's chest, straight through his heart._

_It was her turn to gasp, and she backed away from him, bringing her hands to her mouth._

_He reached towards her, but she couldn't take his hand into her own, nor try to comfort him, or anything else as she back away in horror, realizing she'd hurt him._

"_I… I didn't mean to." She offered, staring at his wound for several moments before looking back into his eyes. They hadn't changed much, though the look of shock had been overcome by the feeling of hurt which shone in his eyes brighter than the sun had before the clouds had suffocated it._

_Suddenly there was a boom of thunder, and out of nowhere a bolt of lightning struck, flashing the entirety of her vision white, before fading away and revealing a silhouette glaring down at Vergil before striking towards him violently._

* * *

"_**N**_**o**!" She shouted as she bolted up from bed.

The light from the strike faded, and the room grew dark again, but that didn't keep warm hands from finding her shoulders and holding them as a face came into the side of her vision.

"Diva, what happened?"

She recognized the voice; it was Vergil's.

The girl turned to him, and when she saw his face, tears began to stream from her eyes.

His eyes were completely different; they still did not look angry or scared, but they looked caring and concerned.

She began to move towards him, turning towards the man as she did so, but soon her gaze drew down and she looked at his chest, touching it to make sure the wound had gone away.

"What is it?" He asked, wondering why she was so interested in that particular spot on his chest.

Diva was almost incapable of acknowledging anything else though and she felt a sad smile spread across her face as she flung her arms around him and held the man as tightly as she could.

"I'm so glad." She told him.

"Diva…" He spoke softly.

"What happened?"

She shook her head somehow, even though it was virtually dug into his chest.

"It doesn't matter. It was only a dream. Everything's fine."

He began to say something when his body tensed.

She loosened her grip on him, but only just enough so that she could look up towards his face.

He was looking at the walls towards the foot of their bed; it was the direction of the foot of their bed. But it looked liked he was looking _past _it instead.

"What is it?"

"There's something coming." He told her.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll go check, why don't you-"

"I'm going with you." She told him before he could suggest otherwise.

Vergil was about to disagree, but she had look in her eyes that he'd grown accustomed to seeing when she was seriously committed to something.

"Alright."

She released him and they both got off of the bed on the same side, heading towards the door.

He opened the door, and the walked through it, to the stairs, and down them.

Nothing seemed scary; the second story hall didn't look any different than normal. Though it _did _seem a bit darker than usual, despite the fact it should have looked the same as any other time the lights were off.

They walked down the hall towards the door to the office, and Vergil opened that door as well.

Diva placed her hand on his bare back as they looked around the office and then began walking across the office floor.

Their clothes made soft swishing sounds as the fabrics brushed against their legs, and the floor creaked with each step, but eventually they reached the doors of the shop.

Vergil peered out through one of the small windows, while Diva stayed behind him, still touching his back.

"What is it?" She asked.

He didn't respond for a moment, so she asked again.

"Vergil?"

"Get dressed, we need to wake the others and then get out of here."


	11. Tactical retreat

I am pleased to announce that I believe my writer's block may finally be letting up. Hopefully this will continue so that I can make up for the long hiatus of (minorly) consistent writing.

* * *

Luckily, Diva's shout as she'd awoken from her nightmare had apparently woken everyone up already, so it didn't take long to get them out of their rooms and tell them what was going on.

Diva still didn't know what was happening, as she'd turned around and headed away from the front doors of the shop before seeing what it was that was putting Vergil on guard so much.

She'd woken Saya, who told her she should go get ready and that they would wake the others, so she went back to the room that Vergil and she shared, and got a dress out of a drawer before pulling it to her chest and closing the drawer again.

"_What could Vergil have seen that would make him want to get us all out of here? We have never had a problem stopping anything that came after us before." _She thought, pulling off her nightgown and then slipping on the dress.

Diva pulled her long hair free of the neckline of the dress and picked up her shoes, as well as Vergil's.

"_Oh, he doesn't have any new clothes." _She thought.

The girl put the shoes on and walked over to Vergil's dresser as she heard someone knock on Lady's, and then Dante's doors.

She went through the drawers, getting what she thought he would need, and the others emerged from their rooms.

It was impossible to see if they were dressed, but from the sounds of boots walking on the creaking floorboards she was willing to guess that they were.

"_Alright." _She thought, getting the last of his things before leaving the room and heading down the stairs which she'd just heard the others walk down as well.

The girl could see the group of other people reaching the door to the shop, and Dante opened it, walking out into the office.

"Vergil, what's with waking us up like this? You wet the bed or something?"

"There's no time for jokes." He responded as Diva walked through the doorway, quickening her pace to catch up to the others.

The group ahead loosened, but didn't scatter, as everyone walked towards the doors of the office which Vergil continued to look out of. They stopped moving once they could all see what Vergil was looking at.

"Oh, so _that's _why."

"I wanna see!" She told them, nudging her way through the group.

Diva turned to Vergil holding up his clothes for him.

"Here you go!" She offered with a smile.

Vergil glanced down at the pile of folded clothes in her hands and reached for them as she turned her head to look out the window.

She dropped the pile and he had to virtually leap to the floor to catch them as she frowned.

"Oh."

"Yeah." He spoke, coming up from his kneeling position, holding the clothes.

The sky seemed so much darker than usual, and though the street lights were on, there still seemed to be far more shadows than there should have been. What Diva noticed the _most _though was the moving mass that was approaching from far away; a mass of forms both in the sky, and on the ground.

It took a few moments before Diva realized that those forms were all individual demons.

The horde was drawing close enough for them to hear the roars, the wails, and all of the other call signs of the various demons approaching them, and though she could not yet tell how many of them there were, the fact that their shear approaching presence was causing the street lights to go out was probably an indication that there were quite a few.

"There are so many of them." Saya commented as Vergil got his normal clothes on, luckily without she or Lady noticing.

"We take down one measly huge plant demon, and this guy sends his whole friggin' _army _after us? Hasn't he ever heard of _pacing _himself?" Dante asked rhetorically, walking away from the group to presumably get his weapons.

Lady followed after him, but Saya and Haji already had everything they needed, and Diva was still busy looking at the huge group of encroaching demons.

"So where are we going, Vergil?" She asked him.

He finished buttoning up the last button on his shirt, and then looked up, over at Dante.

"Dante, do you still have that map?"

"Are you kidding me? We've gotta run to _him _for help?"

"This is about having a decent place to defend, Dante; even if we manage to kill them all here, there's no way this building will survive the battle."

Dante sighed, and tossed Vergil's and Diva's sheathed weapons across the room.

"You're right. Let's go."

They caught the weapons and looked at each other, both staring into blue eyes.

As Lady and Dante returned to the front doors of the shop, they shared a smile between them and then broke eye contact, pushing open the doors of the shop and heading down the steps. Upon catching sight of them, the massive army of demons increased their pace, and they saw the demons that flew in the sky rapidly approaching the building.

"Dante! Get the car!" Vergil shouted, unaware whether his twin was close or far away. However, he heard metal jingling behind him and turned around just in time to catch the keys.

"Nah ah, I'm the one with the guns, and last time I checked guns worked better against a bunch of birds than a sword."

Vergil sighed and nodded before disappearing into the air and heading towards the garage, Diva right beside him. From where they'd come the crack of gunfire rang out and he knew they didn't have a lot of time before the aerial demons were upon them. If that happened they could probably fend them off, but with the car in the area it would be improbable to do so without the vehicle sustaining collateral damage.

He pulled the doors to the garage open and quickly drew over to the driver's side door and put the keys in the-

"_Oh, come on." _He thought upon the realization he'd tried to put them in the wrong way. Diva giggled as he grumbled and tried again, this time succeeding.

Vergil got into the driver's seat… and instantly felt like an old woman. Dante was just as tall as he was, so how come he had the seat drawn up so far that you'd think he was a dwarf?

"_The hell with it." _He thought, starting the ignition and then putting the car in neutral as Diva got in the passenger's seat. He pushed the car out of the garage, the whole time the happy girl enjoying the trip, until he'd brought it out towards where the group had assembled. Dante looked over his shoulder and missed a shot at a demon as he laughed.

"What's the matter? Didn't pass driver's ed?"

"It's not _my _fault you've got the seat cranked up more than a eighty-year old."

"Screw off, I like back support."

"Excuse me! We've got a couple thousand demons flying around trying to tear our faces off!" Lady shouted over the sound of gunfire.

Vergil put the car in park and drew around the side of the car as Diva got out of it and came up towards him.

"Diva, could you get in the back seat?"

"Why won't you come with me?"

"I'll stay outside and help fend them off as everyone else gets in."

"I can help too-"

"Please?"

Diva frowned and, even though they both knew she could more than hold her own, got into the back of the car.

"Dante!" He shouted.

His brother spun Ebony & Ivory into their holsters as he ran towards the car. Lady did the same, though she continued firing as Saya and Haji approached the vehicle as well.

"Haji." Vergil spoke, and the man held the door open for Saya before closing it and standing beside the speaker.

Dante got into the front seat and pushed the seat back as Lady got inside the car as well. With a roar the engine revved and the two men that remained outside the car chased after it at inhuman speed, escorting it as it left the parking lot and sped down the street in the opposite direction of the approaching demons. However, despite the speed at which both the men and the car moved, the demons were even faster; a moving shadow expanded over them as the demons flew past.

"Get ready!" Dante shouted out of the window of the car, drawing a handgun out through it and aiming towards the cloud of demonic figures that turned about and headed down towards them. Their forms were both large and small, thin and thick. Their wings from feathery ones like an eagle to slick, smooth wings of insects. For all their variety, though, they all shared one universal characteristic; they all seem righteously pissed.

Gunfire erupted from both the driver's and passenger's seats of the car and downed dozens of demons, but there were still untold hundreds of them approaching and it was obvious that there weren't nearly enough bullets to fell them all.

Vergil disappeared in a blue flash and passed the car by dozens of yards before reappearing once again in front of it. The demons drew closer to him as he gazed up at them, and his form changed. His entire body turned blue except for his head, where silver crown instead grew as his eyes turned yellow and he drew up his sword.

"_**This is air traffic controller to fleets of demons, you are entering forbidden air space. Please turn your crafts around and leave." **_He spoke, his demonic voice making it sound as if he'd synthesized his voice. However, they didn't seem to head his warning.

"_**I repeat. Turn your crafts around or you will be removed from this air space by force."**_

They once again failed to comply.

"_**Roger that."**_

He drew Yamato behind his back and then swung it forward at the demons, before it had even come to a complete stop it slashed the other way through the air, and repeated the process so quickly it couldn't be seen as purple orbs of displaced space appeared in front of the masses of demons. As the aerial forms flew through them the air exploded in a burst of slashes, rending demons to pieces even as he continued creating more and more orbs with his "judgment cut". Still, the demons that survived merely went around or past the falling corpses of their brethren as if nothing had happened and though several hundred demons had fallen he could tell that it would require more than just a few slashes to discourage them.

"_**And here I was thinking I'd be able to take it easy."**_

He tricked up to the nearest group of demons which immediately swelled around him, and slashed through each of them dozens of times each before descending towards the ground. Vergil held out a hand and soon Dante threw Ebony into it. He then proceeded to fire a salvo of bullets into the downward mass of the demons as they flew at him. When they reached the transformed demon both Yamato and Ebony assaulted them, killing hundreds of demons as the car grew ever closer. Suddenly his descent quickened, and he landed, standing up, on the hood of the car, his devil trigger deactivating. Haji took over and began attacking what few demons were still nearby.

"It's no good; we can kill them until we faint, but they won't stop coming."

"Aw, what kinda attitude is _that_? We've only just started!" Dante shouted, firing around Haji to kill more demons.

"He's right! If we just fight them like this we'll eventually be overrun!" Saya added.

"Well, I suppose that's why we're driving to count dickwad's house."

* * *

"Achoo!"

"What's the problem?" Anthony asked Enzeru, looking up from his poker cards.

"Oh, nothing, probably just a pretty lady talking about me somewhere."

* * *

Haji descended from the sky and landed on the car alongside Vergil, though their superior balance allowed them to displace more than enough of their weight to keep from slowing the car down.

"Turn up here!" Lady told Dante, and the car made a hard right, sending a stop sign up into the torso of a demon.

"How far away _is _this guy, _anyway_?"

"How am _I _supposed to know? It's not like he took me there for a dinner party!"

As Dante and Lady argued about the location of Enzeru's house, Diva felt herself growing more and more anxious by the moment. Sitting in this car doing nothing made her feel like Vergil was trying to protect her from something she couldn't handle. Though she loved Vergil, she didn't like being looked down on like a child by him. So it hardly surprised her when she opened her car door and disappeared into the air in a blue flash.

"Diva, where are you going?" Saya called after her as the girl reappeared right in the midst of the demons and began attacking them. Her movements were hardly the playful ones that they usually were, however, and now had a much more violent energy to them.

She didn't know why, but for some reason she kept getting more and more agitated. Her dress was stained crimson all over as the girl's blue eyes shone through the hordes of demons which she slaughtered with blade and body. Her vision went red, and she barely even thought of her movements anymore as her body took over and eruptions of blood and gore ignited around her. The sounds of demonic roars and screams intertwined and before she knew it her mind had gone bestial. Diva didn't know how long it went on, but eventually her body was brought to a halt when her sword struck something that wouldn't recede. Her mind returned as well and she saw Yamato's glistening blade, covered with nearly as much blood as her own, holding her smallsword still.

"It's alright, Diva." Vergil told her before he drew in and held her. He spun and swung his sword around in a sphere of slashes that eradicated all demons around them before they both landed on the cement as the car came to a stop. Saya ran out of the car and over to Diva to see if she was alright as Dante opened his door and gazed at the walls of the massive property.

"Is this it?"

His answer came in the form of bluish white fire filling the sky above them and killing what aerial demons remained. Their bodies turned into silver ash and rained down upon the area as the gate house opened and a man with long black hair and a dramatic presence walked through it, with two other figures appearing on the walls themselves.

"Welcome to estate la Enzeru, please have a pleasant stay and tell us if there is anything we can do to be of service to you." Spoke the man as if he were advertising a hotel. He grinned as he gazed at them.

"I _knew _you couldn't resist coming to check out my new pad."


	12. Demon siege

Dante scoffed Enzeru's "greeting" and walked towards the gatehouse.

"Get over yourself, Enzeru; we don't have time for jokes right now- oof!"

Dante tripped on the curb. Vergil gazed down at him for a moment and then looked up at Enzeru and spoke as if nothing had hapened.

"The size of this demon army was too big; if we'd stayed at Devil May Cry it would have been trashed. I hope we didn't wake you."

"Not at all; I haven't been able to sleep the past couple of nights. It must have been my demon bone tickling me."

"I barely ever get to tickle Vergil's demon bo-"

"So! I guess we'd better be getting inside now." Saya interrupted.

"_Inside_? Why do that when we could stand dramatically upon the walls; striking demons off of the battlements, holding women in melodramatic positions…"

Enzeru seemed to notice Diva, Lady and Saya.

"…fighting side by side in a politically correct, non sexist sort of way."

"Well alright! Let's get on the walls!" Dante spoke enthusiastically, spinning up from the ground with a flip.

"We have time, Dante; now that all of the aerial demons are killed we don't have any demons to be concerned with at the moment." Vergil told him.

"I'm still going to stand on the wall."

"Alright, fine, you do that."

"Don't mind if I do." Dante spoke dismissively while walking towards the gate.

"What about your car?" Enzeru asked, a suppressed grin on his face.

Dante stopped and sighed before turning around and getting in the car to drive it past the gate.

"Hey, you got a parking lot in this little fortress of yours?"

"Yes; it is straight down."

"Heh. Go figure." Dante spoke before driving past him and through the gatehouse.

"They are coming from one direction, correct?" Enzeru asked no one in particular.

"Yes..." Vergil responded, looking back at Diva who had withdrawn from the group to stand on her own.

"It was a massive horde of demons, or rather, an army." Lady took over as Vergil walked over to the withdrawn girl.

"You mean they were organized?" Enzeru asked, his tone not showing an ounce of concern.

"Right. Or at least as organized as an army of demons _can _be."

"But with all of us fighting we should definitely be able to handle them." Saya spoke optimistically.

"Right. I don't know how much ammo I have, but-"

"Lady, would you mind going into the building for a little while?"

The gun-wielding young woman eyed him accusingly.

"What did you say?"

"Tell me, have you ever fought this many demons before at one time?"

"Well, no. But then again I've never been in a _demon siege _before."

"They aren't pretty." He responded.

"So what are you getting at? That I can't hold my own?"

The wind blew Enzeru's long hair, as well as his coat, and by the time it reached Lady it had grown very cold.

"Not at all. I'm sure you'll be able to do that and _more_. However, what would happen if you were to be wounded?"

"I'll be just fine, thank you very much."

"I see. Alright, if you insist."

"I admit, though, I'm surprised; I never would have thought you would try to get me out of harm's way." Lady spoke, her tone's anger level dropping.

Enzeru breathed a laugh and then turned around towards the gatehouse, walking away.

* * *

"Diva, are you alright?" Vergil asked her, stepping closer to the girl.

"I don't remember what I was doing." She told him, her sword's tip touching the ground and allowing the demon blood to drip down onto it.

"It's okay; you probably just got lightheaded from all of the blood in the air."

She shook her head.

"Vergil… something's wrong with me. I'm nervous."

He frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder. It wasn't until now that he realized she was trembling.

"Ever since I had that strange feeling when that chiropteran died, I've been getting more and more anxious. I'm cold, but I sweat. And I-" She gasped as Vergil embraced her and placed her head on his chest.

"It's alright, Diva. You'll be fine. We'll take care of these demons and then whatever it is that's bothering you. There's nothing to worry about."

Diva heard his words. They sounded confident, and she knew he meant them. Yet she couldn't get rid of this feeling that was bothering her. She drew away from him and held his hand.

"I trust you." Was all she said.

"Come on, let's go." He spoke after giving her a small smile.

"_We'll kill all of these demons and then we'll hunt down those strange chiropterans. I'll kill every one of them myself if need be."_

* * *

Diva and Vergil walked past everyone and to the gatehouse and behind them Enzeru spoke "I wonder what it could be that is bothering her. Not enough blood recently?"

"No." Saya said. "I feel it too. Not as strongly, but I know what she's talking about. Whatever it is, it's affecting us as chiropterans, not just ourselves."

"And it has something to do with that strange chiropteran from last night?" Lady asked.

"Yes. Perhaps someone is manufacturing new chiropterans somewhere. I'm not sure exactly what is going on, but whatever it is we can't worry about it right now; there are too many dangers already facing us."

In the distance they heard the sound of both approaching thunder and demons. It was hard to tell whether the booming sounds of the heavens was more imposing, or the screaming of lost souls.

"Well, at least we'll have a suitably dramatic backdrop for all of these other troubles." Enzeru spoke as everyone else approached the gatehouse to get behind the walls.

"_I wonder… perhaps something more is going on here than just some angry demon king wannabe." _The well-aged man mused as they prepared for the coming siege.

* * *

The sky was black, even more so than usually possible. Though this area of town wasn't near any factories which puffed smoke up into the air, for some reason a dark cloud blocked out any and all stars. The only thing that shone down was the moon, illuminating the castle grounds with a faded white light. Upon the grey, weathered stones stood over a dozen individuals, positioned along the extent of the front wall. Five people stood on the left; Enzeru, Terrence, Lady, Dante, and Anthony. On the other side of the gatehouse stood Vergil, Diva, Saya, and Haji. Despite the grave situation, Enzeru's mouth never seemed to move below a light grin, though in contrast everyone, including Dante, looked more solemn than ever.

Something was coming, something dangerous. It was strong, numerous, determined, and very, _very _pissed off. A few blocks down they could be seen, the army of demons. Though their aerial brethren had all been slain, they did not seem the least bit daunted. In fact, the knowledge of their fellow demons' deaths only seemed to drive them deeper into their blood frenzy. They crushed the remains of the dead demons underfoot as they grew ever closer. Their appearances ranged dramatically; insects, bears, snakes, lions, wolves, and everything in-between gradually made their way down the long street towards them, toppling buildings in their wake as they passed. Some had glowing eyes, while on others large scythe-like claws glinted evilly in the moonlight. Needless to say, they were quite imposing. Regardless, their arrival did not shake the determination of the wall's defenders. After all, it was their own lives that they were fighting for.

"I'll take the five thousand on the left." Dante spoke, a bad attempt at a joke. But even he lost his sense of humor as the impending demons drew ever closer. The buildings in their paths continued to fall… all but one, onto which a humanoid figure leapt. The hordes of demons reached the building, and they stopped dead in their tracks. Even their sounds of animosity were silence when the lone figure growled out something between a lion's roar and a wolf's snarl.

The demon which stood upon the building was almost certainly the general, or whatever the demon equivalent was for one. Though Dante doubted it was the demon who aspired to be the demon king; he knew already that this demon liked to be in the fight, not hiding somewhere watching it. It had the head and muscles of a lion, with the mane of a wolf. Its entire body was covered in dark, matted fur and its claws reflected the moonlight. Its armor shone an eerie shade of red which felt cold somehow. Ferocious eyes glared at them as it rose a large hand into the air. Almost instantly an axe the size of a halberd flew into the hand, which held it aloft. The demon general made eye contact with every one of them and then it swung its axe forward, aiming it at them, and screamed. The demon army grew bestial once more, and it surged forth towards the walls.

Dante and Lady drew their guns. Vergil drew Ebony as well, which Dante had given to him, and the three proceed to fire off a salvo of bullets which lit up the night. Demons fell only to have their dying bodies crushed underfoot by their brethren as the horde grew ever closer. Like a wave of sand, every time a part of the army fell something filled its place as if nothing had happened. On the walls, the defenders widened the space between them to accommodate the width of the army as best they could. The intent was to keep them from being flanked, but then again they would likely be surrounded soon enough anyway.

The volume of gunshots dampened as Dante and Vergil ceased their fire to prepare for melee, and the rest of the wall's defenders braced themselves as the demon army reached the walls and began to scale them. Swords flew from their sheaths and they prepared for the assault as demons scrambled up the walls, digging into the rock with whatever they bore as limbs. A skull-headed demon emerged on the wall, and its bleach-clean bone was crushed inward as a large sword bashed its way down through its body, sending the thing down into the writhing mass below. Dante drew rebellion back as the swords of Terrence and Anthony dismembered the demons near their stations, and Lady took up a position near the gatehouse as she aimed across the outside of the wall and opened fire on the demons that were scaling it. Bullets rattled their bodies and sent them sprawling into the amalgam of awaiting demons. As they fell, however, something chirped behind her, and Lady swung her weapons to aim at a large mantis-like demon. Its mandibles drew near her face but they never reached it as she filled its face with lead, sending purple blood down onto the rocky surface of the battlements.

"You alright?" Dante shouted while thrusting Rebellion through another demon's head.

Lady didn't have time to answer before a demon drew itself up onto the wall nearby her, its shiny carapace shining in the light. The young devil huntress opened fire on it, but the bullets merely ricocheted off of its armor-like skin and shot back towards her. The bullets just nearly missed her, with a single one grazing one of her boots. The demon's mouth drew wide in a macabre smile as it rose itself up and lunged at her. Its path was blocked, however, by bluish white flame which scorched its armored body. A shriek of pain emanated from its throat as Lady cursed at how close of a call that had been before holstering her guns for a moment to draw Kalina Ann from her back and blast the demon off the wall. Its carapace sounded like a breaking egg as the missile thrust it into the air and then blew it to pieces above the heads of its brethren.

"Thanks!" Lady spoke in appreciation.

"Not a problem. Get on top of the gatehouse; there's a better vantage point up there!"

She responded with an "Okay!" as the devil huntress hopped up onto the raised battlements and then lunged up on top of the gatehouse.

Dante pulled Ivory from its holster to fire into the chest of an encroaching demon, stopping it in its tracks. He continued to fire as he walked closer to it and then spun rending through its body with rebellion and sending it lifeless to the ground. He spun Ivory back into its holster before wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

"_We're doing fine for now. But we're going to need some kind of plan if we're going to kill all these things and have enough energy left for whatever bastard sent them all after us."_

Unfortunately, Dante had no plan. He rarely did. So he instead taunted the nearest climbing demon as they continued to draw upon the walls in greater numbers.

"_Looks like we've certainly got our night cut out for us." _Dante thought before shouting and attacking the demon.


	13. Overwhelmed

Sorry this chapter's been such a long-time coming.

* * *

A crack of lightning split the sky as a burst of blood filled the air. Another dead demon fell back off the wall as Vergil swept its blood from his sword.

Several yards to his left and right stood Diva and Saya, who were finishing a similar process of killing the demons by them. Beyond Saya Vergil was sure Haji was doing the same, though he would be swiping blood from his hand instead of a sword.

All things considered, they were doing quite well. If the demons kept coming at them straight on like this, it was quite probable that the demon army would be exterminated before the majority of them had grown tired. In all honesty they could have already done more damage than they had; using devil-triggers and their most powerful attacks would have eliminated a sizeable amount of the army. But they wanted to make sure they had the energy necessary to defeat the more powerful demons whenever it was that they would eventually show up. What Vergil didn't understand was why the demons were simply climbing up the walls and attacking them. Considering the leadership of the demon general, however bestial it was, he'd have thought there would be _some _manner of strategy to their assault. Yet he had not noticed a single tactic employed in the battle thus far.

Vergil leapt upon the battlements; the raised portions of the wall intended to defend from arrows and such in battles between humans. The length of the o-katana which he wielded proved beneficial as he struck the demons from the wall before they could succeed in climbing up its entirety. The sounds of cracking demon armor and splitting flesh filled the air as he proceeded to strike down a large enough number of demons that even _they _hesitated to climb into the deathtrap. The brief reprise gave him time for a glance up along the ranks of their enemies. It also gave him a chance to see a row of hunchbacked demons, thick bodied and eyes full of ferocity, shamble up from the back of the lines. They punched their large arms into the ground and "aimed" their hunched backs at the walls. It was now that Vergil could see spires jutting from their backs. The size of their openings ranged from those of handguns to that of old-world cannons-

"_Damnit."_

"Get down!" He shouted, rolling backwards and sideways off of the battlements to take cover behind them on the bloodied surface of the walls. He couldn't tell if anyone heard him over the sounds of the demon army's roaring. Still, his prediction proved correct and only moments after he'd issued the warning a salvo of projectiles shot out towards them. He heard the sharp objects thrusting into the wall and flying overhead. Then, as soon as the attack had come, it had finished.

"_They must have to wait in order to fire again." _He thought. But it was irrelevant how long it would take them to fire once more as their attacks had given the other demons enough time to climb the walls and land upon them en masse. Vergil rolled up from the ground, cutting a demon's approaching talons as he did so, and kicked a second one off the wall as he aimed Yamato at yet another. The demons encircled him and lunged in, only to be sawed into by a spinning ring of ethereal swords before being bisected by his main weapon and then thrust away by the swords which surrounded him.

"_That ought to give me some breathing room." _

His thought came a moment before he was forced to block an incoming demon's attack.

"_Or maybe not."_

He rolled onto his back, using the demon's lack of balance to throw it over both him and the wall. A trio of translucent swords thrust into its abdomen, ensuring it wouldn't attack them again as Vergil flipped back up to his feet. He immediately drew his gaze upon the line of demons which fired the projectiles at him and noticed that they all seemed to be convulsing, as if they were going to vomit or throw up a hairball. He didn't know what exactly was happening, but he shouted for everyone to take cover again as he ducked behind the stone battlements. Once more the beasts fired a volley of spikes upon them. However, this time several of the spikes succeeded in penetrating the rock defenses and he felt barbarous thorns jab into his arm and torso. The half-demon grimaced in pain but soon tore himself from the things and his wounds began to heal immediately.

"_It's no good. With how often those demons can fire those spikes at us we'll have to retreat in a manner of minutes. Unless…"_

"Diva!" Vergil shouted as the girl withdrew her sword from a demon meat-shield raddled with spikes. She immediately followed him as he leapt off the wall and down into the demon army below. As soon as they'd grounded they were beset on all sides by demons of every caliber. However, this wasn't the first time the two had fought together against overwhelming odds, and it wouldn't be the last. The two tore their way through the front of the demon army's ranks, foot by foot. Whatever attacks one did not block, the other either did so or counter-attacked before the demons could reach them. They were slashing, stabbing and striking their way through a writhing, chaotic mass of shapes and smells that would have made a serial killer die of fright. Yet they persevered and ultimately reached the line of demons that had been bombarding them.

"Are you ready?" He asked her. They simply looked into each other's eyes, and he had her answer. The color of her eyes radiated energy and Vergil's form grew demonic as the two cut a grisly swath of death through the hunch-backed demons. All around them screams of pain mixed with screams of hatred as they traveled faster than the eye could see, rending demons of every kind to pieces until, at last, they reached the end. Before the horde could come down upon them with all its rage, they were gone. Within a minute the duo stood upon the wall once more, with what wounds they _had _received quickly vanishing as they returned to normal.

"_That should help us. But it looks like there's more strategy to this army than I'd guessed." _Vergil thought as his gaze drew towards the general for a moment. Atop its tilted pedestal the beast shouted at the ranks of demons, pointing at a group and then aiming towards another location. He didn't know what its plan was, and he didn't particularly care; one way or another, the thing had to die. If this was only the first tactic it was going to utilize they needed to get rid of it as soon as possible. But with all the demons surrounding it and the constant waves attacking them there wasn't any opportunity, and if they tried to pull another berserker attack like Diva and he just had the thing would undoubtedly be ready for it this time.

Vergil's eyes narrowed as he focused on a larger demon moving down the middle of the army. It was difficult to see the thing's specific characteristics, but it looked like a living battering ram regardless. He shouted up at Lady to take it down, but since she had been firing her weapons constantly since the battle had begun it was difficult to tell if she had changed targets.

The light-haired half-demon did not have time to consider the situation as a demon leapt directly at him. Though it was a simple matter to side-step its lunge and then twist his body to cut it in half, he knew that his reprieve had ended. Within moments a demon that seemed to be made of rock leapt upon the wall, creating a large impression within it. Diva thrust her sword into the demon- only to have the blade stop within an inch or so of entering the thing's body. It struck her away, sending the sound of cracking bones through the air before she landed on the wall by Saya, completely healed if a bit unhappy looking. Based on the sounds he heard coming from the other side of the gatehouse, there was a similar demon over there as well.

"_They're holding us up with tougher enemies to defeat so that the other ones can surround us." _He theorized, slashing forth with Yamato. However, the demon moved surprisingly quickly, and the large form of stone moved itself forward enough so that the hand guard of his sword hit its rock-hard body instead of the blade. It attempted to strike him away as it had Diva, but he flipped over it and landed behind the thing before stomping forward and running it through. It lurched for a moment before turning about and swinging at him. Vergil didn't get the chance to pull Yamato from it before backing away, by both Saya and Diva.

Up the walls he could hear the demons clamoring again, and knew that they would be upon them once more very soon. They didn't have time for this! The rock-demon, now with both Diva's and Vergil's swords impaled in it like some sort of strange pin cushion, clambered towards them, looking unstoppable… a moment before a rocket blew the thing to pieces, sending their swords up into the air and revealing Lady as their assistance as she slung Kalina Ann across her back. Now wasn't the time for thanks, though, as some sort of demonic clown bounced up onto the wall and swung a huge hammer down at Saya. She blocked it, but though her strength might hold, the human-crafted blade would not.

About them various minor demons scaled the wall and surrounded Diva and Vergil, who stood back to back. Saya called out for her chevalier and, as the tall man finished with his own minor demon, he leapt through the air, catching and sending to them both Vergil's and Diva's swords, before landing behind the clown and thrusting his hand through its chest. With a shout Saya pushed its hammer away and cut the thing in half even as Diva and Vergil rent apart their own entourage of demons.

He glanced down at the still-moving demonic battering ram and moved towards it just as more annoyances climbed up to him.

"_Damnit, if we don't get the chance to do anything but defend ourselves they'll overwhelm us." _

A rocket flew down and hit the thing head-on, but only blew a chunk out of its armor instead of blowing the thing back to hell. With time Lady could take it down, but he didn't know if they _had _that much time. Enzeru's flames probably wouldn't be able to burn through the thing quickly enough and he didn't know what the brothers' capabilities were. He glanced at Diva, who was still fighting another demon, and then he jumped off the wall and flipped, landing in front of the gate and in the demon's way.

"Vergil! What the hell are you doing down there?" Dante shouted at him, seeming more angry than concerned, but he shut out the rest of the fighting and shouting as the tank-like creature made of rock approached him, another chunk of its armor being blown off by a rocket. It wasn't much, but it would give him some weaker points in the armor to attack.

From behind thick stony brows the demon's black eyes caught sight of him and the thing let out a roar between that of a boar, a bull, and a rhinoceros before charging him. He stood still for a moment and then tricked forward, slicing through one of its arms with Yamato's impossibly sharp blade before twisting and cutting through its side in the same movement. The beast shouted and braced itself before swinging back at him. He flipped out of the way of the attack and onto its back before thrusting the tip of the sword into the monster's stony hide. It let out a scream and he jumped back to his spot in front of the gate.

Vergil stood facing the gate, still able to feel where the demon was behind him even though he couldn't see it. It wasn't dead yet, that much he knew, but even though its skin or whatever it was seemed akin to the earth's crust there wasn't a single demon Yamato couldn't cut through.

It roared once more before lumbering towards him and swinging a massive arm at him, under which he dodged before spinning in a full circle, cutting through its neck with his sword. Once more it roared, but this time with a gurgling sound emanating from its throat, and he knew that it was as good as dead. Vergil swept the blood from his sword and turned to trick back onto the wall- and the demon charged forward, tackling him into and through the gates. He scowled in both anger and pain as the dying beast managed to open the gate, crush his torso and pin him down all at the same time. The only fortune it paid him was that he could see all the demons coming for him through one of its missing chunks of armor.

_"Damnit. I underestimated it." _He thought while trying to push the monster off of him, he heard Diva call his name but couldn't look up to see her as the demons rushed through the gateway. He shouted at the dead thing to get off and ultimately managed to push it away… as the monsters converged on him. He swore as their bodies descended upon him, only to be struck away and stunned by a blue flash. The flash materialized and Diva's scowling form jutted from one demon to the next, killing them all before throwing one of the larger corpses at the demons piling through the gateway to halt their progress.

He thanked her while getting up and she nodded, asking him if he was alright despite the knowledge that he had to be.

"I'm fine, it won't happen again." He told her, stepping beside the pale girl and glaring out at the demons.

They were down two people on one of the walls, and it was his fault, but he couldn't dwell on that if he was to make up for it by defending the gateway.

_"Go figure; I never thought I'd be fighting demons in the gateway of a castle again. Not this soon anyway." _He thought ironically before they both charged at the demons.

* * *

"They got through!" Lady shouted down to the other defenders of the wall as they continued to fight. Her focus shifted from firing into the mass of demons into trying to support Saya and Haji as the monsters surged forth with renewed vigor. With the absence of Vergil and Diva on the wall both Saya and her chevalier doubled their efforts and with Lady's assistance they managed to momentarily repel the besiegers, but now that the demons had broken through they refused to relent.

"Dante, get up top, we've got this one covered." Enzeru told him as he engulfed another demon in bluish white fire. The demon-hunter needed no further dismissal and jumped up onto the battlements and then up onto the keep. As he did so, however, a group of lean-muscled demons ran out from the ranks of the rest and hurled bony spears at them. Dante and Lady both ducked beneath the stone and succeeded in avoiding the deadly harpoons. Yet when they began to rise a few more were thrown and Dante had to cover for Lady to keep her from getting skewered. The bony projectile spiked through his arm but didn't reach her and once more they drew down to avoid any other attacks.

Dante ripped the weapon from his arm and tossed it to the ground, cursing that they had waited for a second volley as Lady pulled a grenade from her belt and pulled the pin before tossing it over their cover and towards the offending demons down below. She didn't bother shouting for the others to take cover since they were durable enough to survive scattering fragments as the grenade exploded. Dante nodded his head over the edge of the parapets and told her that she'd gotten them before they both drew up and began firing down at the demons, Dante into the crowd and Lady at the demons attacking Saya's side of the wall.

"Vergil! You guys doing alright?" Dante shouted down to him over the roar of gunfire and demonic howling. His brother told them that they were managing but that they would be overwhelmed at this rate. He was right; with the different kinds of demons that kept emerging from the massive army it was likely that they had one for each and every role they would need to make it past the wall and once the group was surrounded, even with their skills, they would eventually fall. It was feasible to retreat into a building and try and hold out from there, but the roof could cave in and turn it into a deathtrap. Dante felt himself wishing he had brought along a few more weapons to contend with this situation as both he and Lady continued firing.

They had been killing hundreds of demons, but the teaming mass of forms hadn't seemed to grow even the slightest bit smaller. He didn't know if more demons were arriving as the battle progressed and didn't really care as the demons began to make way for something far bigger than any of the others. It rose from amongst them, smaller demons falling off of what appeared to be its back as it reared up. Its skin was cracked and grey and its limbs seemed immensely powerful, yet the feature that stood out about it most was its massive, toothless mouth. The rest of its body reminded him of an upright elephant, but its mouth was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

The thing's lips trembled and it sucked in the poisonous air about it before heaving forth, and Dante cursed as he grabbed Lady and pulled her in. Through the air they could hear what sounded like massive cannonballs firing and within moments the gatehouse floor blew out from beneath them, and they crashed down through dust and stone. The ageless rock smashed down upon them with all its weight. Though Dante's demonic abilities allowed him to take the brunt of the damage and shrug it off they both got their beatings as they fell further down until finally they crash-landed in a pile of rubble.

Their ears were ringing but Dante shook his head free of the haze and snapped it up as he looked out at the living siege engine; the thing was a goddamn _cannon_! He hadn't seen what it spit out at them, but with the kind of force it could generate they needed to take it down quick. There wasn't a single one amongst them that would be unscathed if they got hit head-on by one of those shots.

Vergil and Diva were in front of them in an instant, defending both the people and the opening the destroyed gatehouse had formed as Dante and Lady brought themselves away from the wreckage. The silver-haired half-demon's red coat was torn all over and stained with blood, and Lady's legs and arms were full of scratches and other cuts but it was nothing that would take them out of the fight. However, as Dante gazed at the castle's main building several dozens of yards away, and at the spheres rolling out of the craters within it, he knew that the attack wasn't quite finished.

_"Heh, living ammo; demons can be so creative."_ He thought as the spheres unrolled into vicious-looking rat-armadillo hybrids. They didn't look too tough but they'd be an annoying and effective distraction as the monstrous cannon-demon readied itself for another volley.

"We've gotta take that thing out or we'll all be fighting in gravel!" Lady shouted.

"We have it." Vergil said as a fat, pus-spewing demon lumbered across the rubble of the gatehouse towards them. But as he and Diva prepared to kill the thing two blades thrust through it from behind before the demon was cut into countless pieces in a flash. The chunks fell away and Anthony and Terrence stood on the other side of it, holding their bloody weapons.

"Don't waste your time, just take care of these things; we'll get the big one." Terrence told them before the two disappeared in a violent leap.

"Huh. Go interns." Dante spoke before spinning around and cutting an attacking rat-armadillo thing in half with rebellion. Lady told him to help out Diva and Vergil as she reloaded her weapons and began firing upon the mobile nuisances. Dante and Vergil reared up on either side of Diva and, all now wielding swords, charged into the breach. Their blades felled more demons than they could distinguish between and everything in front of them became a writhing blender of gore as they relied on Anthony and Terrence to do what they had said they would. Lady continued to fire behind them as the three worked as a team to protect the breach and they knew she could be counted upon as well.

"Enzeru! How you doing?" Dante shouted up at the man, ignoring their usual joking around.

"Just dandy!" Responded the demonic knight who, even now, didn't seem intimidated by the situation; whatever life he had lived before Vergil came upon him must have been a damn tumultuous one.

A wall of bluish-white fire arose in front of the breach and incinerated any demons that attempted to pass through it, allowing them a bit of a breather.

"I've got you cover- shit!"

Enzeru's swearing was enough to make all who were nearby glance up at him as he watched something sail over the walls and through the air to land…

"Shit!" Dante swore himself as they all scattered to avoid getting damaged by the incoming demon. The wave of pressure it sent out as the thing collided with the ground forced them all off-balance and Lady was thrown from her feet as wind blasted at their faces, slicing at their skin. Dust scattered across the area, impeding their vision as they raised their guard to prepare against whatever thing had leapt into their midst. As the cloud cleared, however, they realized the lion-like face and the wolfish mane, as well as the red armor and the massive axe which it carried. It stepped out of the crater in the ground, breathing hot air as it reared its head back and both roared and howled at the same time; welcoming a fight from anyone.

Diva was the first to react, her innate instincts telling her that it would be easier to kill while its head was back. She leapt into the air, and thrust forward towards its throat. A loud squelch sounded out through the air as a blade thrust through soft skin and muscle. It was with a blink and a gasp of surprise that they all realized that it was _Diva _who had been impaled, not the demon. On the opposite end of the halberd which the general held there was a sharp spike which now protruded from the girl's back. She swallowed down blood as the thing cried out once again in bloodlust and then flung her aside with enough force to tear her in two. The girl's sword was left to clatter on the ground as it fell, but Vergil was behind Diva's upper portion and held her tight. He planted his feet in the ground, skidding back several yards from the force before he flashed and reappeared next to her other half, placing the girl on the ground.

"You'll be okay." He told her, his voice shaky as her body began to mend itself. She gagged on blood and breathed with a guttural voice as Saya screamed her name from atop the wall. Vergil held the girl's hand until he could actually see her healing and then, with bloodshot eyes, snapped his gaze up to the demon general, which glared back at him.

"You're going to pay for that you son of a bitch!" Vergil shouted before he rushed forward, along with Dante, Saya and Haji and they converged on the inhuman opponent.


	14. The Lion's Roar

There was heaviness to the air as the four allies rushed at the demon-general. It had already proven its strength by casually dispatching Diva, but now it would have to fight four of the most powerful people in the world simultaneously. Its army was held at bay by Enzeru and his "employees" and there was no way out now. Regardless, as it bellowed its battle-cry once more any uplifting attitude its enemies may have had was extinguished.

Vergil was the first to reach it, unleashing a volley of slashes with his sword quicker than a lightning strike. However, the beast used the superior range of its weapon to block and then twisted the halberd around and batted him away into the dirt. Meanwhile Saya and Haji leapt into the air, both aiming for its thick neck. But the general was faster than it appeared and turned around in a flash. Holding its halberd horizontally the demon thrust out at both of them and struck them in the stomachs with the shaft, knocking them out of the air. As they crashed into the hard earth a blistering salvo of bullets crashed into the demon-general's armor, splintering it. Dante, bolstered by his success, continued attacking the general from a distance. Unfortunately the demon had no intention of merely standing still and being shot. It gripped one end of the halberd and, stretching itself fully, swung the massive weapon at the red-clad demon-hunter, easily closing the distance. The latter rolled out of the way just in time to see the general using the momentum from its attack to launch into a running tackle which blasted the man away into a wall, dropping his guns in the process.

The demon champion reared its head back and bellowed once more at its victory. Evidently it was up to the challenge the fight was presenting. The warriors rose from the ground, ready to fight once more. But they couldn't get close enough to do any real damage due to its huge weapon. A silent decision was made amongst them and once again they attacked, this time in unison. Haji was the first to enter the fray, using his seemingly invincible cello case to block the general's large weapon for a few moments before being thrown away. Saya and Vergil both attacked the demon's weapon, but on opposite ends so as to hold it still. Finally, Dante leaped towards the scene and, with his own battle cry, cleaved the monstrous halberd in two. All three retreated to avoid the monster's counterattack as it grasped each half with a hand and struck out, just barely missing them.

"Great, so now he can attack twice as fast." Dante said as he rested Rebellion on his shoulder.

Vergil, Saya and Haji landed nearby Dante and held back momentarily to plan a new strategy. Ideally they could separate their enemy from its weapon. If they could do that they would at least decrease its fighting range to a more manageable distance. From what they could tell all that the demon general had going for it was raw power; it didn't seem to possess any manner of magical capabilities. This meant that while its battle prowess was overwhelming that was all that they had to worry about. They tried to take comfort in that fact as they once more charged at the creature.

"Come on!" Dante shouted at the thing as he leapt forward and attacked it. The demon's attacks were swift and fierce but Dante had fought all manner of demons before and was holding own. Haji appeared behind it and bashed into one of its ears with his cello case, causing it to roar in anger. Meanwhile Vergil tricked beside the demon's arm which held the pike end of the halberd and attempted to sever it. But despite Haji and Dante's distraction it still had enough sense to block the attack with its weapon. And as the already broken weapon fell into now-useless halves it haphazardly grabbed the pike and thrust it through Haji's abdomen, taking him out of the fight. Saya shouted his name before striking out at the demon to give Vergil time to retreat. Dante struck away the axe the general yet held and cleaved a chunk of the demon's armor away before retreating himself.

"It's alright! If we can keep this going we'll wear it down- Dante!" Vergil cut himself off as the demon charged towards his twin, tired of giving them time to strategize. He swung Rebellion to counter its movement but didn't have enough strength to knock away the powerful demon's weapon. Instead it shoved _his _weapon away and kicked the half demon to the ground before plunging its axe into the ground over him; barring the half-demon from getting up. Saya moved in to strike but the general was too fast and grabbed her by the torso, thrusting her into the hard earth until her body was too broken to move. Vergil began to move in but it reared around, roaring at him, and he backed away. Pure physical combat was what it excelled at; that is why it was able to do them so much damage. To play its game would likely result in defeat.

_"At least it doesn't have a weapon anymore." _Vergil reasoned in his head, just before it swept its hand through the air and a large, brutal sword appeared within its grasp out of a burst of flame. The half-demon scowled as he brought up his katana to defend himself. The beast roared once more, and raised its sword… and the sky grew white, sliding through the air. A red wisp of sunset followed behind as well as a flowing mane of midnight… and Vergil realized it wasn't the sky that was moving. Diva didn't shout as she thrust her sword through the crimson armor covering the demon-general's back and through the monster's body. It thrashed against her as she continued pressing her weapon into its back.

"Vergil! Now!" She told him, and he obliged, thrusting his own weapon up through the monstrous beast's heart. However, instead of falling silent and still the lethal wound seemed only to drive the beast into a primal frenzy. It pulled Diva from its back and grabbed Vergil, trying to crush both of their necks. Both of them were strong, but the demon's massive hands held them too tightly to pull its fingers apart, and its arms were too long for them to hurt its body. Their allies were still trying to regain themselves, and Dante could no longer reach his weapons to shoot it. Both of them could survive having her necks broken, but if their heads came apart from their bodies even _they _might die. As it lifted them up into the air the beast's eyes went wild, as if it saw its entire life's purpose being accomplished before its eyes. Then they heard thick squelching sounds, like someone had ripped apart a side of beef. There were two of them to match the geyser of blood which erupted from the demon-general's torso as its arms were rent from its body at the shoulder. Yet it still had enough will to twist around and swing at its attackers, with the arm holding Diva flying in one direction and the one gripping Vergil in another. Their saviors, Anthony and Terrence, easily dodged the desperate attack and, as they dodged through the air, each cut through the side of its neck, their swords meeting in the middle. As they landed the beast's head rolled off its body and the monster crumpled to its knees.

Anthony pulled the monster's axe from the ground, allowing Dante to get up, and Saya pulled the pike from Haji's abdomen, effectively undoing all that the general had accomplished.

"You guys are pretty impressive for some interns." Dante admitted with a grin, putting Rebellion back into its sheath as he ran back to his guns Ebony & Ivory. They took the brake for all that it was worth. After all, they'd defeated a powerful enemy but they never knew if another would emerge. Nevertheless the air seemed to grow warmer, as if the chill of the demons was beginning to recede. Diva and Vergil rose to their feet as well, beginning to head back to the gate. However, they both realized that the warmth in the air was not from a recession of demonic energy, but from a _gathering _of it in the demon-general's corpse. Its armor began to boil and molten cracks appeared in the monster's skin as the air began to get hot. Then, before they could get away, the body ignited. A huge explosion blew out into the air, sending a shockwave of pressure before it. The air itself seemed to sizzle, and within the inferno that had erupted horrific faces screeched at them. Vergil glimpsed Diva for a moment, matching her gaze, and then he was cast through Enzeru's flames and into the demon army's ranks as the demonic chemistry fouled. All that he could think about as his body sought to repair the missing layers of muscle and flesh was whether or not Diva was alright.

* * *

The world had fallen in on itself. At first the air had turned to fire, and then a gale of wind had thrust out through space. Diva had been too close to the point at which that had all occurred and felt as if her atoms were going to be torn apart. However, something had shielded her from all of that. And despite the earth giving way beneath her she had been unharmed. Even when she and her shield fell through the chasm below and landed upon ancient rock she still felt no pain.

When her mind had put itself back together, and Diva could do more than remember flashing images, she looked up at her "shield" and realized to her surprise that it had been Terrence who saved her. It was strange that he would do such a thing as he had seemed much like the desensitized Vergil she'd met back in the demon world those few years ago. And like Vergil, he didn't waste time sitting around, instead he rose to his feet and examined their new surroundings.

"We're in some manner of underground corridor, perhaps an ancient system of storage tunnels." He told her with a flat tone.

"It's strange that a place like this would be here beneath a modern city, even a decayed one." She noted, observing the dusty grey stone walls.

Above them they could hear the battle continue without them, and she wondered if Vergil was alright. Whatever damage that had been done to her in the explosion had also likely been done to him. Diva knew that he healed just as if not more quickly than she did, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"Enzeru used some rather paradoxical powers when he brought this castle into existence. If it _did _in fact exist here at one point or another, perhaps this network of tunnels was a part of it." Terrence remarked as he began walking down the tunnel. Their way was lit by torches which she assumed would never go out due to some kind of magic.

"Do you know where we're going?" She asked.

"Just a guess; if this network is indeed connected to the castle there would undoubtedly be an exit once we are beneath a building."

"And if not?"

"We're slowly making our way upward towards the surface; I can feel the elevation level changing. The closer we get to being above-ground the easier it will be to break out of here."

Diva remembered now, as they walked through the tunnels, what it had been like to be around Vergil when he was still more serious. Terrence didn't react more quickly than he needed to, didn't run, and didn't show any emotion. Still, due to the similarities she couldn't help but wonder if he still had the same issues of loneliness and anger.

"_I suppose I'll get to know some of those things before we get out of here." _She thought, and continued following after him.

* * *

Vergil's reawakening was not as peaceful as Diva's; the instant he'd landed amongst the demon ranks they fell upon him like a tsunami. Yamato cut a swathe through the closest enemies as Vergil rose to his feet. He was still shaken and his vision was blurry, but his battle-hardened body responded to his will.

A trio of scythes swung down at him and he slashed through them before looping his arm around and beheading their wielders on the sword's return trip. He dodged a claw to the face and kicked the beast away as he stabbed yet another demon on his other side.

_"There are too many." _He thought, aware that in his current state he couldn't take down the swell of demons that filled the hole he'd made in their ranks. He could hear someone shout his name from within the castle grounds, but could not tell who it was over the horrific chorus of demons. He caught a kick to the shin and spun around, cutting a semicircle of death in the direction of his assailant.

_"We've killed their leader; if we can just survive this initial attack it's over. The demons aren't an army anymore… they're just a horde." _

It didn't change the fact that his sphere of "personal space" created by sword swipes was beginning to decrease in size. Soon he would be forced to fight in melee, and then he _truly _risked being overwhelmed by their numbers. He thrust Yamato through a demon made of shiny rock, but it grabbed his wrist and barred him from withdrawing the weapon. Even as he released a hand and crushed its head some manner of talon sunk into his back, followed shortly thereafter by other weapons into the rest of his torso. He spat out blood, weighed down by the weight of the demons. They cackled, derisively and with a sadistic humor, it reminded him of a hyena's laugh filtered through a synthesizer.

One of the demons capable of human speech leaned in and spoke to him "You are the first… we will save your lover for last." His eyes grew teary as the smirking demon came away, and he felt his heart slow. Despite the choir of hell about him, and all of the blades and claws twisting within his body, all he was truly aware of was his heartbeat. It rang out like a bass drum in a small room. Then he was made aware of the scythe that was descending towards his neck.

_**"Diva…"**_

* * *

The flames of the torches flowed about them, causing flashes to flicker along the shiny areas of Terrence's various weapons. She'd never seen so many blades upon one person and wondered if he indeed knew how to use them all. If Dante were here he would probably ask the young man if he was compensating for something.

"Are you worried about your brother?" Diva asked, breaking the silence that had followed them on their trip.

"No." He responded flatly.

Diva couldn't help but grin a little.

"Why is that?"

"He can take care of himself. He doesn't need me to watch over him."

"Are you close with him?"

"He is the only person that I have known my entire life. I suppose that would fit most descriptions of us being 'close'."

Most people would notice how strange it was for a person to have only one other individual that they had known their entire lives. But because Diva had not been raised in a family she was, in this case fortunately, unaware of those norms.

"It could have been worse." She told him.

"I was not complaining, just merely answering your question."

"No I didn't mean… it's just that I grew up without any kind of real family around me, until my sister Saya released me. So I know what it is like to not have a real family."

Terrence quickened his pace.

"I have neither knowledge of nor a need for a 'family'. What I have is what I have, and I possess no need for anything else."

Diva's grin continued to widen, she couldn't really help it. He reminded her so much of "old Vergil". She'd forgotten how funny he could be sometimes.

"Then why did you need someone to provide you a place to live and food to eat?" She asked with no spite in her tone. However, instead of answering he stopped walking and turned towards her. He didn't seem particularly angry like Vergil always had been. He simply seemed tired of answering her questions.

"Why do you continue to ask me about such things; what is your fascination with my situation and beliefs?"

Diva shifted, embarrassed. She didn't know why, but when she talked with this young boy it felt like she was talking to someone she'd known for a long time. Obviously that was not the case, but regardless she could still feel it. She gazed into his violet eyes and asked him if her attention was unwanted. He gazed at her for a few moments, sizing her up, before turning around and saying that he didn't mind. She nodded and continued walking along with him, wondering if when this whole affair was over if she would have two more friends.

* * *

Vergil regained his awareness, staring up at a cathedral ceiling. He could hear the shouts of demons in the distance but within the old building there was a sense of calm. The colored glass depicted a scene of brothers turning on brothers, and sisters upon sisters. In the final pane one brother was shown casting the other into a black hole tinged in red. It reminded Vergil of the Western Religion's story of Lucifer being cast into hell by Michael.

The half-demon rose up, having been lying on a very long oak table. As he sat up he also noticed that the "cathedral" possessed various old pieces of furniture. In addition to that, pool tables, dartboards, card-tables, a big-screen TV and more were positioned throughout the expansive building. Any doubt Vergil may have had that he was in one of Enzeru's buildings was vanquished when he spotted a classic pop-style collage of Enzeru's simplified face being shown in a couple different colors on a wall.

_"The man is just too ridiculous." _Vergil thought, just now remembering what he'd last experienced before losing consciousness. And he was fairly certain the demons hadn't just _let _him go lie down. Moving his hands across his body, Vergil noted that his body and clothes were both intact and that Yamato was sheathed next to him. His senses sharpened and he could hear the distant sounds of gunfire and clanging swords. The evidence that the siege was continuing prompted the silver-haired man to leap off the table, but he was quickly met with the hard stone floor as his legs gave out beneath him. Whatever had happened, it had exhausted him.

Vergil lay his head down on the ground and tried to regain his strength. His eyes closed and his body motionless, the rest of the man's sense's tuned in. Despite the roar of the demons outside it seemed that their numbers had decreased exponentially. It was quiet enough for him to hear his pulse, quiet enough for his memory to return. He had been fighting the demons and became overwhelmed. One of his assailants had taunted him and they had prepared to decapitate him, and that's when he'd… devil-triggered.

_"So that's why I can barely move; whenever I transform to save my life I'm always left breathless afterwards." _

Vergil was rarely put in a situation in which he was likely to die, which is why he had not been aware of the difference between a normal devil-trigger and a last-ditch one. However, since he'd met Diva Vergil had learned that if his transformation was caused by an emotional overload as opposed to an intentional effort, he became more powerful. Another result was that he remained in said state until his enemy was annihilated, which meant taxing his capabilities and feelings.

He sighed and tried to relax, his heart sounding like a metronome in his ears. As the minutes dragged on, however, he began to hear footsteps. His body prepared for an attack, but after a moment he noticed that the footsteps were not coming from _within_ the building, but _beneath _it. He pressed himself into a push-up position and scanned the building for anything suspicious, something that might cover an underground passage.

_"Is it a stealth attack? The demons lost their organization after we killed their general, but perhaps he ordered it beforehand." _

With the possibility of a stealth attack now considerable, he willed his body up to its feet and leaned against a table, once more scanning the room. The footsteps grew closer, and he wandered over to a panel in the floor. To the usual onlooker it seemed just like the others, but Vergil could see that several of the stone tiles were in fact a single tile, separated from the rest. Soon it began to slide backwards, and he gripped Yamato's hilt. The hidden passage's cover ultimately slid back to reveal a kitchen table-sized hole as black as an abyss. He began to peer into it just as something flew out and thrust him into the tiles, shattering them beneath the force of the attack. Vergil's suspicion of a sneak attack was made a reality, and he prepared once more for battle.


	15. Aftermath

Vergil's "attacker" was revealed to be none other than an overexcited Diva, who even now remained on top of the downed man. She hugged him as if it had been years since they had seen each other, as opposed to hours. He hugged her back, glad that she was safe. Over her shoulder he could see one of the "intern" brothers, Terrence, walk up out of the passageway and step past them.

"I'm _so _glad to see you again, Vergil! The hallways were very boring and it took us forever to find our way out. Fortunately Terrence was there to keep me company."

The half-demon glanced over his shoulder towards the teenage boy for a moment, before he looked back at Diva.

"I'm glad you're alright. After the explosion, I didn't know what had happened to you." He told her.

Diva hugged him even tighter as she told him how Terrence had protected her and led her out of the storage tunnels. The way she talked about it, she might have never found her way back on her own.

"How are the others?" Diva ultimately asked once she had finished recounting her little adventure.

"I'm not sure," He replied honestly. "At one point I fell unconscious and someone must have brought me back here. From the sounds of it, though, we're doing much better than before."

Diva nodded and finally got off of him, reaching out to help Vergil up. Had it been anyone other than her doing so he might have tried to conceal the fact that he actually needed her help. Rest or not, the little tackle that Diva had given him had knocked the energy out of him much like it had knocked the _wind _out of him.

"Are you okay, Vergil? You can barely stand." Diva asked him, sounding genuinely worried.

"I'm still a little worn out. I imagine it hasn't been that long since I was brought here, so I didn't get a whole lot of rest."

Helping him over to a couch, Diva lay him down upon it and tried to help her love get comfortable. It was an older couch, but while it was finely crafted and aesthetically appealing, it was also very comfy. As he lay down upon it Vergil felt as if weight belts had been pulled off of his entire body and it was all he could do not to fall back to sleep again. Diva brushed through his hair with her hand, trying to relax him as she smiled down at the half-demon.

"It's alright, you can go back to sleep if you want. I'm here." She spoke, her voice soothing to mind, body and spirit.

"I should help take down the rest of the demons." He said, trying to get up. Diva didn't even need to utilize her unnatural strength to keep him where he belonged.

"They can handle it. With that general gone the siege has failed; we don't need to help them."

She leaned down towards him; a long strand of bluish black hair hanging in the air as she first kissed him and then rested her forehead upon his.

"So for now, just rest, Vergil." She whispered, finally persuading him to close his eyes. It didn't take him long after that to drift back to sleep.

* * *

"What's the matter? Ya scared?" Dante shouted as he twirled his handguns and turned the fleeing demons before him to sand and mush with a spectacular volley of gunfire. As he spun the firearms back into their holsters Lady walked past him, using her owns guns to pick off more stragglers. Elsewhere Haji, Saya, Enzeru, Anthony and now even Terrence were cleaning up the rest of the demon "army". Their enemies were still more numerous than an ant colony, but the danger had passed; they'd won. Whatever chance the demons had possessed was lost as soon as their "unstoppable" general blew to smithereens and didn't take anyone with him.

_"Arrogant bastard probably thought that if someone _had _managed to kill the thing they would be killed in the blast." _He thought while surveying the battlefield from outside the gatehouse. The tide of the battle had been turned, the besiegers were now retreating. And with Terrence's arrival Dante imagined that meant Diva had to be fine as well. Ultimately not even Lady had sustained any significant injuries. Enzeru's castle wasn't exactly glistening but the shifty dude probably knew a way to fix it and if not, plenty of castle left.

_"Was this really all that wannabe demon-king could come up with? I guess it was a pretty big army, and the general was a real tough bastard, but… was that really it? Weak, man." _

All of the warriors became engaged in the fray and within only half an hour they had annihilated the remaining demons. Few got away and those that did amounted to little more than extra jobs for Devil May Cry, if anyone in the surrounding area was still alive. Even if everyone had gotten killed there were always people who were stupid or courageous enough to try to make a living in the city. Though he surprised they weren't getting national coverage by now.

Everyone ultimately met back in front of the gate. No one had sustained any damage from the mop up, and the only lasting damage to any of them from the whole battle would be to their clothing. They all put their weapons away, and Enzeru announced that it was the perfect time for an early-morning breakfast. He didn't receive any arguments to the contrary and more than one of the warriors sighed in relief at the notion of getting some nourishment. Awkwardly, Terrence and Anthony disappeared towards one of the castle buildings and left a few wondering what they were up to.

"Those boys are so strange." Enzeru remarked, earning a raised eyebrow from several of the remaining people.

"What? I'm down with all of the current behavioral vibes and knickknacks."

Shaking his head, Vergil asked where they would be eating. Leading them across the castle grounds, Enzeru gave them a tour as they proceeded to the dining hall. There were several buildings which served various purposes such as training, meditation, watching Eddie Murphy movies, and even a shrine to Joe Peschi. "Well _I _think he's a good actor. To me, that counts." He told them matter-of-factly. He explained the storage tunnels to those who hadn't already been made aware of their existence, and amongst the multitudinous structural relics somehow made them feel at home. Nevertheless, when they finally reached the dining hall it was a relief to those whose stomachs were growling, and a respite to all of them and their tired bodies.

Dante rubbed his hands together, saying "I'm gonna eat me so much bacon…" as the doors to the large dining hall opened, and he saw a huge long table in front of him, covered with food. It looked fresh and delicious, and Dante had to swallow back saliva as he licked his lips. "That's what I'm talking about!"

As the red-clad demon hunter tackled the food, Saya admired the internal workmanship of the building, as she had not seen any of the structures from the inside yet. Lady meanwhile asked Enzeru where he'd gotten all of the food. He explained the complicated magical process of cooking food and reverting it to a time before it was made, and then using a psychic queue to make it come back to its current time. The others, meanwhile, sat down in some of the chairs of the expansive dining table. The smell of food permeated the entire building, but that didn't stop Diva from observing her surrounding environment like a child. She, after all, didn't need to eat human food. And the only kind that provided her with any manner of real "nutrition" was that which had blood within it.

_"I wonder where Terrence and Anthony got off to_._" _Diva thought as she observed her surroundings. The two had virtually vanished before and never showed up. Several of them had thought they were simply aware of where the food would be and were just rushing to get some. But when the group arrived at the dining hall and neither of them were there those hypotheses disappeared just as the two brothers had.

As Diva continued to wonder where the "interns" had made off to something strange happened; she felt them suddenly appear outside. Turning around in her chair, she could see the two young men through one of the tall windows. They didn't seem interested in entering the building, nor did the two appear hungry or tired.

_"Hm… I wonder what they're up to." _Diva thought. It only took a moment for her to decide she wanted to find out, and she told Vergil she was going to wander around the building a little bit. He asked her not to go too far, and then pulled her chair out for her. Diva gave him a peck on the cheek and left the building. Once outside in the "dawn's early light" she slowly made her way to the outside corner of the building, on the other side of which stood the boys.

Diva held back some of her hair so it wouldn't drape down and leaned out from the corner, peaking at them. However, despite the precautions she took, Diva was still spotted. Neither of them were exactly _looking _at her, but she could feel that they were aware of her presence.

"You don't have to sneak around, you know; we're not monsters, just freaks." Anthony told her, giving her a friendly grin. Once more Diva's lack of an upbringing allowed her to bypass the usual negative connotation of the word "freak". It allowed her to appreciate the friendly gesture.

The girl stepped out from behind the building and walked over to them. Anthony seemed to be happy she had decided to come over to them, though Terrence himself didn't look upset either. Diva smiled at them both as she approached them.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked them. They both shrugged, and Diva giggled at their cute attitude. "Do you not get hungry?" She further inquired.

"Our bodies do not require any real food. We can eat, but there's really no point unless we have an actual taste for something." Terrence explained.

"Though I _did _get these guns from eating a lot of meat." Anthony joked, flexing his arms. They actually _were _rather muscular, though she assumed he did it for merely cosmetic reasons. After all, no amount of muscle would make someone as strong as he was.

"What about you?" Terrence asked. "Not feeling too hungry yourself?"

Diva shook her head and told them she only liked blood. Terrence's face tightened, as if noticing something strange. Then he asked her what the reason for that was.

"I'm a chiropteran. I can live forever and I only need blood to survive." She explained. It seemed to intrigue Terrence, while Anthony simply thought that it was cool. He asked her if she could grow wings. "I can't, but there are others who can. We all heal fast, though."

"Saya must also be a chiropteran, then." Terrence reasoned. He went on to ask if the man that always accompanied her was a "chiropteran" as well. She told them that he was; a chevalier.

"Interesting…" He mused, at which Diva giggled. Anthony butted in, however, and asked her what she did for fun. She basically told them that she would go shopping with Saya, play with toys, watch TV, listen to music, or play with Vergil. Sometimes she would play practical jokes on Dante. Anthony told her that he liked lifting weights and looking around for just about anything he thought was cool enough to be involved with.

"How about you, Terrence; what do _you _do for fun?" She asked him. He instantly gazed into her eyes and said not a word. When Anthony had gotten tired of his silence he explained that Terrence never had any fun. "All he can do is find things 'interesting' and ponder them." He explained. Terrence broke the eye contact, and she felt herself growing a little sad; it reminded her of the time she'd spent in the tower, unable to ever have fun. It was almost like he was a mix of both her and Vergil. Whereas Anthony was a bit like Dante and, though she hadn't really seen it yet, also seemed to be like Saya. She was about to ask them what kind of lives they had lived when she heard Vergil's voice behind her.

"Enzeru's going to make food for you that has blood in it…" He spoke, sensing that he'd interrupted something. "Oh, sorry; I didn't know you were in the middle of something. If you'll excuse us-" "Actually, Vergil, do you mind if I stay here and talk to them while my food is being made? We're becoming friends." She explained. He seemed to understand, but nevertheless was caught by surprise. "…Sure, I'll just come back out and tell you when it's ready." He told her, putting a smile on. She smiled back at him and kissed the young man in thanks before he walked away and said to have fun.

"So… how did you end up here?" She asked them. Anthony at least seemed confused, but Terrence kept his composure. "Do you mean what were our lives like before we came here?" He inquired, to which she nodded and told him "Mhm". He seemed to muse over the thought of telling her when Anthony spoke up, "Well if you won't tell her then I will." The comment caused the elder brother to gaze at his younger. "No you won't; you have terrible memory. Besides, you'd probably make it seem like you were cool more than actually telling what happened." Anthony sighed and told him "fine" before sitting on a tree stump and crossing his arms.

"Just keep in mind that we've had a somewhat complicated life. So it could take a little while to tell." He informed her. She pulled her dress under her and sat on the grass, waiting patiently with a grin. One of Terrence's eyebrows raised just a bit, and then he began to speak.


	16. Backstory

"We were born in a country town. You know the kind; everyone knows everyone else, and it's like one big extended family. Our parents had feelings for each other since high school and as soon as their current boyfriend or girlfriend was gone they got together. Eventually they started living with each other and then, at the age of twenty-eight, they got married. One year later we were born."

"It sounds like they truly loved each other." Diva spoke, smiling. Terrence's face hadn't changed.

"But they were human, and like all humans, nothing remains the way they expect it to. They struggled to afford a home, the bills, and now two children. They couldn't hold a car and the bike they tried sharing eventually broke. Anthony and I had to learn how to ride a bike on the rims with a single handlebar. When their furniture broke they would garbage pick for its replacement and all of the clothing that we received came from thrift stores. When he was nine Anthony lost his first tooth… when his headboard broke and one of the bars hit his mouth."

Diva looked over at Anthony, who gave her a big toothy smile. She smiled back at him. He reminded Diva of herself in a way. Terrence seemed to be getting drawn more and more into the story, however, and her attention once again drew back to him.

"They showed love for us, at least. That is until our father got laid off from work and started drinking. Then he decided to show us his feelings via 'love taps'. Our mother called the police on him at first, but as time progressed he learned how to hurt us in ways that weren't immediately visible. Our grades remained consistently high, but he continued to degrade us for not always getting A+'s. Then one day Anthony got a C+, and he started hurting him more than usual. At that moment I dropped all of my homework and hit him in the back of the neck with one of my textbooks. He stopped hitting Anthony. But when he turned around and knocked my book away I knew that he wouldn't stop."

Terrence gazed at his knuckles as if he could still see blood upon them.

"We fought and, despite my young age, I seemed to possess some sort of strange strength. When the fight was over he lay bloody and unconscious on the ground. While the only wound I possessed were cut knuckles which healed quickly. When my mother came home she took him to the hospital. He was in the hospital for a month, but when he came home nothing was the same anymore. We held the power, then, and he knew it. He couldn't even send us to military school because our mother wouldn't sign off on it. That's when things started to get better."

"Why did you leave, then?" Diva asked him. He looked up at her, and she knew that the story hadn't ended.

"We finally had a family cookout, like we used to before our father was laid off. Everyone in the entire neighborhood came. Anthony had a high-school rock band that played in the backyard. Then… these _creatures _showed up out of nowhere and began attacking everyone there. It didn't matter who it was, they slaughtered each and every person that couldn't get away. And the only two that _could _were Anthony and I. Our powers fully awakened, and we killed them all. But in the ensuing battle our house caught aflame and eventually the entire property was afire. That was when we decided to travel from place to place and kill any monsters we could find. Once in the area we heard about Enzeru and decided to pay him a visit. And so here we are."

Diva thought about what he'd told her and decided that perhaps having grown up with a family wouldn't have necessarily been as perfect as she'd thought it would. It was strange hearing about such a living situation. When they were in bed some nights she and Vergil would talk about their earlier lives. Still, even though Vergil seemed permanently scarred by the situation that had claimed his mother's life and cast him into the shadows, his family life had otherwise been happy beforehand. Saya, meanwhile, had a happy life with both of her families. It wasn't that she had wanted them to have miserable lives. At the same time, not knowing anyone whose entire life had been terrible made her feel a bit isolated.

"You understand it, don't you?" Terrence asked her, as if on cue. She waited a few moments, and then nodded. "Yes, though my life was very different from that. I did not have a family that failed me."

Terrence seemed interested, so he asked her what she meant.

"I never had a family. Or rather, I didn't have one until the last few years. I've lived for many more years than my body appears, and for almost all of them I've been alone."

Anthony seemed more emotionally fazed than Terrence, and he asked what had changed. "What could have made your life so much better out of nowhere?" He questioned. Diva dwelled on his words for a few moments, and then smiled sadly, remembering. She looked into the dining hall at Vergil. "I found someone who knew what it was like to live in the shadows. And yet, he had enough feeling left to sustain him. I saw in him the suppressed feelings that I didn't even know that I possessed. And when he began to care for me my world changed entirely."

The younger brother seemed to be dwelling on his own feelings after hearing her explanation, but Terrence, as usual, didn't seem emotionally fazed. "I suppose it would make sense that if you found someone who exhibited the characteristics you required to be happy that it would make you so. Unfortunately things are not the same for us. We can't meet someone and have all of our problems go away as a result."

Diva saw Vergil walking towards the door of the dining hall; her food must have been ready. However, as Vergil was leaving the building, Terrence turned about and, in a purple flash, he'd disappeared. Anthony looked after him, and it seemed that he was going to depart to follow after his brother. However, as he began to rise, Diva asked him, "Is that really how it is for the two of you? Or is it just him?" He hesitated, but when he spoke to her he didn't look back at the girl. "We've always been alone, really. No one has ever understood us. And no one has ever tried. So we've relied upon each other. It's the only way for us to live. We can't trust anyone else." She wasn't able to respond before he'd disappeared as well, this time in a green flash. The young queen gazed after the two as she heard Vergil walk up behind her.

"Did they leave?"

"Yes."

"Why's that?"

Diva found his words strangely amusing, and then she looked back at him and spoke, "I'm not sure. Maybe I made them feel uncomfortable."

* * *

All about him walls of ever-changing colors flashed, while the sky changed from bright to barely-lit. Terrence continued traveling through the poor sections of the city, passing by buildings and streetlights. He finally made a right, and ended up in an alley. There were lights within it, but the bulbs had long since been shattered. He could see regardless; his sight could adjust easily to both lower and higher light conditions.

_"Why did I feel the need to leave?" _He thought to himself. Perhaps he was jealous of the girl. She'd found something that made her happy, while they had not. Granted, from the way she'd described her lifespan, she had been suffering for far longer.

Terrence stood in the alleyway, wondering if there really was anything he truly wanted out of life. Yet despite his pursuits he didn't find any ambitions within him. He didn't really mind the way that he and Anthony were, or their lives, but yet he wasn't happy with them either. He wondered what it was like to be happy or to have something to pursue that might _make _one happy.

"Curious." He thought out loud as he felt Anthony reach his location. He seemed just slightly worn out. It made sense since his abilities weren't quite as high as his elder brother's. However, all it took was a deep breath and he was fine.

"Why'd you leave?" He asked.

Terrence didn't answer. He merely waited for Anthony to put it together for himself.

"Did that girl get to you or something?"

"I don't understand why it is that some girl that grew up with spiders for parents is the only person that can relate to us."

"You don't understand? Huh," Anthony said, sounding a bit surprised. "That must be the first time I heard you say you didn't understand something in… _ever_."

Terrence looked away from his brother towards a wall, using its blank face as a tool to help clear his mind. He was vaguely aware of some drunk at the end of the alley, but the person was of no interest to him.

"I suppose I had just gotten used to the idea that no one would ever understand us." He admitted. He didn't sound sad, but it made Anthony feel a bit emotional regardless.

"Yeah, I get what you mean. She surprised me too."

Once more Terrence looked away, though this time he gazed up at the moon, vanishing in the early morning light. He found it rather ironic that the moon was so beautiful and yet it was the sun that people desired so much.

"Hey… any 'f you guys gut a car? I can't find mine." The drunk spoke to them as it walked down the alley. He could _smell _the stench of alcohol wafting his way even though there was no breeze in the alley.

"Maybe now that there's someone that knows us we can stop drifting-" "No." Terrence interrupted him. "Simply being able to relate to someone else does not make our lives better. The world is still the way it is, regardless."

Anthony frowned and gazed down at the ground, leaning against a wall.

"Yeah, but still… don't you think that maybe it will change things just a _little _bit?"

A light purple cloud drifted over the moon. By the time it had departed the sphere of light was too dark to see any longer.

"Never forget, Anthony; the only people we can rely on are ourselves. Everyone always ends up either betraying us or dragging us down."

"But she's strong, and she wouldn't-"

"What would you know? You were content living the way we were, all until I showed you that it could be better! Then you leapt at it like a deer across the road!" He snapped. Anthony twitched and grew silent.

"Hey, you hear me?" The drunk slurred, closer now.

Terrence sighed, breathing out his anger as he decided it was probably time to go.

"I'm sorry. It just gets difficult having to be the one that makes all the decisions." He admitted. Anthony didn't say anything.

"I _said-_" Terrence whipped around and his teeth grew larger, carnivorous, before he mauled into the drunk's neck. The human gave a single spasm, and then he tore a large chunk of meat from its neck, allowing the thing to fall on the ground like the dead carcass that it was. He ate the disgusting meal and swallowed, his mood calming down as well. He wiped the blood from his mouth and then gazed back at Anthony, his eyes flat.

"We are demons as well, Anthony. Do not forget _that either_. If she and her group found out what we are they would likely turn us. And even if they did not, do you really think they would accept us as equals? Those half demon brothers are half _human _as _well_; they are not immune to a human's foolishness. And if her lover were to turn on us you can be sure that she would as well."

Terrence waited a few more moments for his message to sink in, and then he left Anthony in the alley to ponder the reality of their situation.

* * *

The feast was over. Everyone had eaten their fill of food, and Enzeru had already proceeded to clean the plates in pure fantasia fashion. So while brushes and soap were magically cleaning off dinnerware in the back, everyone had simply conversed in the hall. It didn't take long, however, before their bodies returned to a sleepy state. They had, after all, woken up in the middle of the night and fought a siege against demons until dawn.

Diva was ultimately the one that said she wanted to go home and go to bed. Her yawning statement gathered the others to her cause and soon everyone was saying goodbye to Enzeru, who simply chuckled. He offered to let them stay at his home but it was the general consensus that they had seen enough of his castle for one night. So most of them piled into Dante's car, with those who couldn't fit and who were physically able sitting on the trunk and holding themselves onto it. The ride home was rather uneventful seeing as the demons, disciplined by the general as they were, had either scared off or killed anyone in the area. Thankfully Devil May Cry was still there when they arrived, and undamaged. How, they had no idea. Still, the stone about the area seemed to be permanently darker, stained by the taint of the demons' passing presence.

It was all anyone could do to get back into their sleeping clothes, those who slept, and go to bed. Yet regardless of their fatigue there wasn't a single person among them who didn't wonder what else the wannabe demon king was going to throw at them. If that was his idea of a progressive attack, who knew what else he had in store? However, though the idea passed through everyone's mind, it slipped right out of Diva's once she and Vergil lay down together. She dug her head into his chest and sighed happily before nodding off to sleep.


	17. The Marionette

_ When Diva woke up, Vergil was no longer lying in bed with her. She reached around the mattress, and then looked about the room, but found no trace of him._

_ "Vergil?" She asked, just for the sake of clarification._

_ No one answered._

_ Diva pulled away the covers and slid her legs off the bed. Her soft feet set down on the cold floor and she felt a breeze blowing at her pale legs. She drew her gaze to the windows, and saw that one of them was open. Without thinking she walked over to it and peered out into the tall alleyway. Shadows and light played with one another, toying for control of the space as she looked down, spotting two figures below. One of them was Vergil, and the other… she couldn't tell who it was. She called down to him, but he didn't respond. They weren't talking; rather, the people below were simply staring at each other._

_ Her hair blowing with the stronger wind, Diva descended from the window and dropped the two stories down to the cement, landing softly. She padded over to Vergil and put her hand on his shoulder, asking if he was alright. He did not answer. Instead he turned around, and turned to shadow. Her hand fell quickly to her side and she stepped back, gazing up at the silhouette. His visage appeared as if he had been imprinted in the air by some kind of new atomic bomb; no identifying features remained but the shadows that his body now seemed to be made of. _

_ "Beautiful, isn't it?" Asked the figure behind Vergil's silhouette. Diva looked past him and saw a tall, lanky person. Both limbs were extraordinarily long, with slender hands and feet. The torso looked like the entire ensemble of organs, bones, and muscle had been squashed into something that was almost twice as tall as a typical abdomen, and a third of its width. Its smooth neck shook violently to the left, and she could see its sad operatic face mask._

_ "Or is it sad?" The figure spoke once more, this time sounding almost melodramatically sad. The thing's entire body, save for the polished white mask, looked like an artistically styled mannequin more than an actual human. Its neck twitched again, this time bringing back a happy mask._

_ "It's because of _you_, you know; that this has happened."_

_ Diva became aware of a sword in her hand. It wasn't hers. Still, the stranger's way of speaking had upset her, and she thrust the weapon at the creature. However, when she felt it connect, the weapon went through Vergil's silhouette instead. She recoiled from the weapon as if it was electrified, and his eyes peered out from the shadows. The look within them was an unbearable mix of surprise and hurt._

_"It's all your fault." The comical voice teased, now coming from everywhere. _

_ Diva's gaze darted from one window to the next, from the cement to the rooftops, but she saw nothing. Vergil collapsed on the ground, bursting into a large splash of black liquid. And as the ooze flowed into the nonporous pavement, she felt stale air on her neck._

_"Your sin will be the greatest of all."_

_She gasped whilst turning around…_

The black-haired girl jolted up from her slumber, staring fearfully at the wall. Her entire body was covered with sweat and she felt her nightgown sticking to her slender frame. It had been a terrible nightmare, and one that she would never have thought she would experience.

Vergil was with her in an instant. He'd been woken by both her movement and the energy he could feel emanating from her. She felt him holding her, trying to calm the girl down as her breathing went from ragged to deep breaths, and then ultimately back to normal.

"Diva, what's wrong? Did you have another nightmare?"

She nodded, holding onto him. He was there; no shadow. No double-masked marionette taunting her from the shadows. The nightmare was over, and she had come back to Vergil. But why did she continue to have such dreams? Diva had never been untruthful to Vergil, she had never abandoned him, and above all she would never do anything to bring pain upon him. Even if Diva were a person for such hatred, Vergil would have forever remained immune to it.

"Yes. But it doesn't matter. All that matters is that I woke up and that you're alright."

He seemed a bit befuddled by her specific mention of his wellbeing, but he didn't push it.

"I'll let you have your privacy, Diva, but these dreams… you never used to have anything like them. They're not natural for you. And your being unnatural worries me."

Diva gazed up into his eyes and saw that they seemed worried, but not in his usual way. A concern was building in Vergil that didn't quite feel natural to her _either_. And she understood what it was that he was going through.

"Don't worry; they _are_ just dreams. They won't come true." Vergil told her.

Diva hugged him as tight as she could, hoping that he was right.

* * *

Lady awoke with a start. She reflexively drew her pistol from beneath the pillow, but already knew there was nothing in the room. The young woman lowered her weapon and rested it on her lap as she switched the safety on.

_"What's going on?" _She thought. It wasn't like her to awaken like that, being jolted out of her sleep. Back before she'd met Dante, Lady used to have nightmares all the time. Many of which would bring her screaming back to reality. However, ever since then she'd rarely had such an experience, and there had always been a _reason _for it. It was possible that she was still a bit jumpy after the siege, but she lived in high risk conditions; normally a stressful day didn't particularly affect her sleep.

"Oh well." She thought, lying back down. Her room was rather simple. There were a few things here and there that added personality; a cute table lamp, tasteful curtains, a nice bedspread, but for the most part it was a soldier's bedroom. Unlike her fellow demon hunters, she was all human, and her body needed to be constantly trained to remain in the condition necessary to fight such enemies.

Lady tried everything from focusing on her breathing to counting sheep, but nothing seemed to help. Finally she gazed over at her clock and saw that it was eleven o'clock, and realized why; she had slept for over twelve hours. Whatever fatigue she'd felt must have simply been due to her oversleeping. It was surprising that she hadn't woken up sooner, but then again she also had some wounds to heal. And that consumed energy.

"Can't lie around all night, though." She admitted out loud and pulled her covers away before setting her bare feet down on the wood floor. The air in the room was cold as well, and it caused a deep scar on her thigh to tingle. It was the one she'd received when her father, Arkham, had wounded her to use her blood to open a portal to the demon world. Needless to say, it was one of her more sentimental injuries from the past.

"I guess I'll just have to stay up all night and all day to get my sleep schedule back on track. Not that I usually get much sleep anyway."

She changed out of her sleeping shorts and shirt and put on a pair of jeans and one of her several pairs of flat white button-down shirts. Her socks and shoes followed, with a pair of good sneakers replacing her usual combat boots. A handgun with the safety on tucked into the waistband of her jeans under her shirt and she was ready to cruise.

Everyone else sounded like they were still awake, but all the activity that she could hear was coming from the bedrooms; Dante's television, Haji's cello, and Diva's giggling were signs that everyone had more or less "gone to bed". Either that or they had just been taking it easy all day. Seeing as they'd more or less annihilated any demons in the general _solar system _and that most everyone in the surrounding area was dead, she could see how business would be a bit slow for a few days.

_"Not a problem with me. Scrapes and abrasions might not be a big deal, but I don't like going into battle in anything less than perfect shape." _

She walked down the stairs quietly so she didn't disturb anyone, and didn't bother turning the lights on in the office. It wasn't necessary, seeing as she knew how to traverse the space in her sleep. The only things she couldn't remember were the entrance doors to the shop, as they changed so much, in addition to sometimes not being there at all. Seriously, they needed to put a protection spell on them or something.

Lady walked to the front of the shop and gazed outside; nothing seemed to stand out, aside from some random collateral damage caused by the demons. She thought for a moment, and then had a midnight snack before heading outside, locking the doors to the shop behind her.

_"I guess I might as well take a walk around, see what's still standing." _

It was as good a way as any to pass the time until morning. And one could never be sure that everyone was dead. Every once in a while there was a survivor that would have died in the aftermath of an incident if they hadn't searched for them. Granted Diva's ability to smell blood made it a lot easier to find them when she was around.

_"I wonder what's left. With all those demons, I can't believe they didn't destroy the shop. Maybe Enzeru did some strange mumbo jumbo to protect it." _

Speaking of the charmingly unique man, she wondered what he was doing. As arduous of an undertaking as repairing the castle would have been for a human, she doubted that it would have been particularly difficult for Enzeru and his interns. Especially if he used that same ridiculous power to do so as he had used to construct it in the first place.

_"Maybe if he has a little extra he can do the same to the area around us. I wonder if it works on people."_

Lady wandered for a while, looking anywhere that she thought might contain a survivor. Unfortunately the only people she _did _find were barely recognizable for the most part, let alone alive. It was really terrible that so many people had been killed just because of one petty demon's ambitions. Even more so considering such ambitions would never be fulfilled; the original demon king had been killed. And Vergil had used all of the power he gained to bring Diva back to life. There was no power to acquire, and Vergil was hardly directing the armies of the underworld.

_"In the end, just one more freak with some weird powers. Nothing new."_

* * *

Terrence eventually ended up in a warehouse district. He didn't really know where that was in relation to Enzeru's castle, but he could feel the man's energy emanating from the place, and that would be more than enough to find his way back. Despite Anthony's lesser talents, he knew his younger brother could do the same.

It was strange that he just happened to stop here. Terrence had never been to this area of the city before, and yet it almost felt as if he had come this way intentionally. Or rather, like something had led him here. Terrence surveyed the area; nothing seemed out of place, just a lifeless habitat of concrete and corrugated metal buildings. There might have been cars passing by a few days ago, but not with the sudden elimination of so many of the city's inhabitants.

Movement. Terrence glanced in its direction and thought for half a second before he decided to follow it. His feet left the ground… and then Terrence had arrived at the location at which he'd seen the movement. He didn't need to look in the direction in which it had traveled; he could smell it. Though the thing smelled like nothing but dirt and stone, Terrence followed the scent. It traveled for about a quarter mile before delving into a particular warehouse with a rusted door. Inside there were piles of boxes, crates, and other typical things that one would find in a warehouse. The air was thick and dusty, and his heightened sense of smell had to readjust itself to tolerate the soiled air. Unfortunately it made it harder to track his prey, though not impossible.

Terrence followed the slight difference in scent around the warehouse before he finally reached a tall metal rack. Upon a hook was imbedded a large portion of muddy rock, which smelled- movement again. But this time it was heading for him. He leapt past the thing, allowing it to ram into the rack in front of where he had been standing, and landed in the middle of the warehouse. What light entered the building was mostly focused in the middle, and it made him easy to spot.

_"A stray demon, perhaps?" _He thought as the golem-like creature pulled itself free of the wreckage and once more charged at him. Terrence stood completely still until the time was right. Then he shifted himself to the left and caught the humanoid rock monster's chin in his right palm before slamming its head backwards into the floor, hearing a crack as he did so. With the destruction of the creature's head, the rest of it burst apart into sand and pebbles.

He rose up, cleaning dirt from his palm, as he heard the same crack as before. Though now that he thought about it, the sound was more like a crunch… gazing down, Terrence lifted his foot and saw that beneath his shoe was a broken pair of black sunglasses. It was strange to find them here, but more so, that he felt a manner of energy coming from them. However, the energy dissipated now that they had been broken. Had they been what drew him here in the first place? And what about that single, token golem? He didn't remember there being any demons like that in the army which they had fought.

**"Good! You catch on quick!" **Spoke a cheery voice from the ceiling supports of the building. Terrence couldn't quite make it out at first, but then he made out a tall, lithe form in a bodysuit of some kind. He focused even more and realized that its head was covered… no, it _was _a mask. A happy face gazed down at him, and what looked like a sad face gazed up from the back of its head at the ceiling. The thing's presence made him feel uncomfortable.

**"Now that you're here, let's have a chat, shall we?" **


	18. Disappearance

It had been a long while since Terrence left Anthony in the alley. He'd been hoping that his brother would eventually come find him but it would seem that he really _was _serious this time. It was rare that they had any manner of argument, and even when they did the after effects of it usually didn't last long.

_"It's been almost a whole day since he ran off. The hell could he be?" _Anthony thought to himself as he wandered across the empty street. His exotic sword swayed slightly in the sheath on his hip as his coat blew in the wind.

"Man, I know Terrence told me to wear this so I wouldn't get cold but wool's itchy, and it's really not my style." He complained out loud before hopping over Enzeru's wall and onto the other side. There was still some work to be done, but the weird guy was definitely making progress with rebuilding his home considering how damaged it had been.

_"Props for the guy with the oversized ego and his friggin' castle." _Anthony thought, smelling for the man's scent like the animal he was.

It took about a minute but he finally got it and headed in the direction of his "benefactor". Terrence would be back by now; he never stayed out too long and if he hadn't come out looking for Anthony he would always return to a well-known meeting place. Anthony wondered if he could get his elder brother to play a game or two with him; Enzeru strangely only had a Commodore 64, SNES and PlayStation 3 systems, though he used to have Wii before discarding it. He'd said "the thing creeps me out" as if some motion controller technology was a big deal.

_"Old fart."_

Anthony rubbed his head and dwelled further on finding something to do. With all the demons dead things would probably be slow for a while. Maybe if he went back to that shop Diva would want to hang out. She was cute and didn't seem to have any problems talking with them. Most especially she didn't treat them like they were dysfunctional products.

He opened the door to the entertainment building, as family friendly as that sounds, and noted the property owner sitting on a couch playing Super Mario Brothers 3. He noticed Anthony and greeted him as the teenager walked over to the couch and lounged on it.

"Why are you playing as both brothers?" He asked the comparatively-bad elder gamer.

"I get more lives that way." The guy responded as he jumped over a Koopa.

"Noob."

"What's that word mean again?"

"It means you _suck _and wouldn't know a Buster Sword from a Red Mushroom."

"Well I got the Fireflower, but I haven't seen the Buster Sword yet."

Anthony's eyebrow twitched and he shivered.

"Nevermind. Anyway, where's Terrence?"

"Not sure, he hasn't come back yet."

Anthony went silent just as Enzeru jumped and got the flag at the end of a level and shouted in victory.

"Yes! Man that level was really hard."

_"He hasn't come back? No way…"_

He wouldn't have gone to the shop. Even if he did like Diva he wasn't that kind of guy. Had he gotten hungry? Anthony wondered for a few moments before getting off the couch and heading for the exit.

"Try using both hands on the controller ya git."

"Oh! Thanks, that's much better."

The teenager didn't respond that time and only left silently.

* * *

"What'd you say?"

"I didn't mean to offend you. I simply meant that if you didn't eat the pizza so quickly the others would have a chance to-"

"List 'ere Haji; two years ago I was going to be evicted from this place due to 'noise complaints' and 'strange sounds at night' and 'obscene audio being played too loudly from a souped-up sound system'. _But _I managed to stay here by winning a pizza-eating contest. Do you know what that means?" Dante countered.

"That whoever let you stay based on a food contest should be fired?" Vergil asked.

"No. It means that when Diva starts giggling into a microphone or Haji starts playing Bach Cello Suite Number Five, or Lady decides to practice shooting in the back alley if anyone complains _I'm_ the one that's gonna save us from being an extended family with no place to live."

"…so that means you get to eat all the pizza?" Saya asked, her empty plate still in her hands.

"Well, yes." Dante spoke as he begun to eat another piece of pizza. However, a blue blur whizzed by his face and then dropped the slice onto Saya's plate before Diva ended up back on the couch, leaning against Vergil.

Dante stared at her with a deadpan face as Saya thanked her sister and began eating.

"Well, Acts of Diva presenting…"

There was a knock on the doors of the shop, which honestly surprised just about everyone since most of the people in the surrounding area were mush.

"Huh, wonder who that could be." Dante thought out loud.

Haji walked over to the doors and opened one of them, allowing the visitor, Anthony, to enter. Normally they wouldn't let someone in unless they had a job, but considering that he'd fought along with them against an army of demons they could give him a pass.

"Yo, what's up?" Dante called to him, his feet on the desk now.

"Eh, not much. Nice place, man; real stylish."

Dante beamed at the praise.

"Ah, finally someone else with good taste."

Anthony didn't seem to find the joke particularly entertaining, however. And despite the fact everyone barely knew him they gathered that he wasn't visiting to play pool. Diva was the one who ultimately asked him if something was wrong.

"Terrence… after we left him and I got separated. We kind of had an argument. Anyway, when I went back to Enzeru's place he wasn't there, and he wouldn't have been gone that long."

"Maybe he's out chasing tail. Dad knows if it's anyone that needs some it's a Vergil type."

Vergil's eyebrow twitched.

"A _what _type?"

"Oh it's alright, love; Dante's just jealous because in three whole adventures the only girls that have showed interest in him were a dominatrix called Lust and a big fat plant lady." Diva said with a smile.

There was an awkward silence, and then Saya finally asked Diva where she'd learned what a dominatrix was. She responded by snapping an imaginary whip and going "whuppish, wuppish".

"…anyway, he wouldn't have done that. Terrence is a eunuch. At least I _think _he is." Anthony said, leaning against a heavy pool table.

"How do you know?" Dante asked.

"When we were thirteen we watched Hocus Pocus and he didn't stare at Sarah Sanderson's tits even once."

"Damn."

"Alright!" Saya interjected.

"So… where do you think he could be?" She continued.

"I don't know. We're not familiar with the area, so maybe he just went looking around. But it's been a whole day-"

Dante smacked the table before leaping onto it.

"Alright! Looks like Devil May Cry is back in business! We have to find the missing Terrence and then bring him back!"

Then he hopped down and pointed.

"Saya, you're on it."

"Huh?"

"I've got things to do." He responded.

"_What _things? You don't have _things _to _do_."

Dante waved her away as he headed towards the back.

"Your computer said that your downloads had crashed. I believe it said malware was the cause." Haji informed him.

Dante froze in his tracks.

"First of all, how the hell did you know that? Second, how do you know so much about computers?"

"Lady told me. Is it true that the only time you use the computer is to look up por-"

"Fine!" Dante complained, turning back towards the front of the shop.

"Devil May Cry Detective Agency… assemble!"

No one was amused.

Dante sighed.

"Fine, no more dopiness. Hey Anthony, you have any idea where we should start looking? Anywhere he might like? Malls, bars, fountains, whatever?"

"Well… maybe the zoo. He always liked going to see animals."

"Alright; assuming it's still there we'll see if we can find him at the zoo. Anybody else going?"

"I will." Diva spoke quickly, getting up from the couch.

Vergil was a bit surprised at her quick throw-in considering it wasn't a particularly exciting mission. Maybe she wanted to see the animals.

"Well if Diva's going I am as well." Vergil added, earning a close-eyed smile from her.

"Thank you, Vergil."

"I think we'll stay." Saya spoke for her and Haji.

"I'd like to help but I don't think we'll all fit in Dante's car."

"Yeah… we tried that two nights ago; Haji and Vergil kind of had to ride on the trunk." Dante added.

"It's alright; we won't need a lot of people anyway. All we have to do is find him. Diva can probably smell his scent and Anthony can probably sense where he is, so we already have an advantage." Vergil spoke.

They said their goodbyes and then left the building to ride towards where the city zoo was hopefully still standing.

* * *

"Why must there always be a Koopa where I am jumping?" Enzeru asked the game as he continued playing it.

He was doing very well; apparently he was supposed to be in hell or something like that, because the world was covered in fire. Some creepy hands had grabbed his character several times and the foes were getting much more difficult to defeat. But once he got the hang of the two-handed playing style he was golden.

"I can see why kids these days can spend so much time on this. It's really quite addict-"

Enzeru noticed the presence of someone outside the building. He made a point of finishing the level quickly and then, as the victory music was playing, he darted out a window and made his way along the wall of the building until he had the stranger in sight. Whitish blue flame billowed up from his hand as he reached for the visitor's head…

"Oops." He spoke as the fire dissipated and Lady, the visitor, spun around and fell to the ground, reflexively aiming a pistol at his head.

"What the hell?" She shouted, springing up from the ground and holstering her gun in the waistband of her jeans.

"Sorry, I can't always sense _who _is around; just that someone is there."

"Man, way to give a girl a heart-attack." She responded.

"I didn't know the world's greatest demon huntress was so easily frightened."

"I wasn't frightened… wait, what did you say?"

He chuckled a bit and asked to what he owed the visit.

"I guess I was just wandering around and before I knew it I'd gotten lost. It's so hard to find my way around now that the whole city's just a bunch of rubble."

He offered for her to come inside so she could get out of the cold and once they were inside he agreed that the change in scenery had a detrimental effect on one's familiarity with their surroundings.

"Did you see Anthony by any chance in your travels?" Enzeru asked her.

"No, why?"

"Well he came back looking for Terrence but then went out looking for him again. I _do _wonder where the boy could be in a town of nothing but trash."

"Don't underestimate it; no matter what happens here people always come back and build up. You'd swear the governments of the world were oblivious to a city that gets continually destroyed on a regular basis."

"It probably helps that anyone that could tell them is lying under a pile of concrete."

Enzeru went and got her some water for her and some wine for himself.

"You're an early drinker now, aren't you?" She asked him as he sat down.

"Well I'm still technically part demon. So the alcohol doesn't really have any effect on me. I guess I just enjoy drinking wine."

"Fine for you; but I wouldn't be caught dead drinking some when there's a bigwig aspiring to be the demon king somewhere. Not everyone can get run through five times a day and survive."

"Technically I haven't gotten run through in quite a while. The last time was by Vergil, in fact, when we fought in the demon world."

She shrugged while taking a sip of water.

"Anyway, I understand. I was the one that tried to get you to take five during the siege, remember?"

"Oh I remember. I _also _remember you saving me from some insect demon. I guess I should have listened."

"You made it through. That's what matters. It's not like there's much in the ways of preparing for a demon siege, even as a hunter of demons in your daily life. Dealing with even a hundred of them at a time just isn't the same as being stuck in a square of stone with all the wails and growls roaring around you."

Lady frowned, noting the added detail behind his description.

"How did you do your first time in a demon siege?" She asked him.

He chuckled and put his wine glass down on a coffee table.

"I did pretty well; I managed to kill about three dozen demons and only got a few broken ribs and a concussion. I would have lost an arm due to infection if there wasn't an adept medicine woman amongst us. Not to mention several other people lost their lives trying to save mine."

"I'm honestly surprised… I never would have thought you could be a novice like that."

He smiled and she apologized before he waved it off.

"I'm not offended. It's true; I once didn't even know how to hold a sword right. Blisters all over my hands…"

He shivered.

"But that was before I took a demon into me for the sake of becoming stronger. From then on it's like something in me clicked. Nothing could touch me. Well, except for Sparda and Lucina."

"I didn't know you'd met Sparda."

"Met him? Oh no my dear; I fought alongside him for _years_. In fact, the reason the infected cut on my arm hadn't gone right through me is because he defended me. I got off easy, all things considered. For whatever reason Lucina and I were the only two people that could stay alive around him. Everyone else seemed to die sooner or later. I think that always made him feel a little lonely."

There was a short silence between them, almost as if it was a show of respect to the Legendary Dark Knight.

"By the way, who was Lucina? Was she your wife?"

He smiled sadly. It was the first time she'd seen his spirits dampen.

"We never quite got that far. She died before I could propose."

"I'm sorry…"

"It's alright. She died for the sake of the human world, by her own choice. I don't think she would have had it any other way."

"She sounds like a great woman."

"You think so? Maybe it's hereditary."

She was confused but didn't get the chance to ask him what he meant before a classical music piece begun playing. Lady was caught off-guard but Enzeru reached into a pocket and pulled out a cell phone and greeted the person on the other end.

"I see… alright, I guess it's time for me to get ready then."

He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket.

"What's going on?" Lady asked him as he rose.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Just a little mission to go on. Did you want to go as well?"

She seemed a bit apprehensive but shrugged and got up.

"Sure. But I only have a single handgun."

"Don't worry; it isn't combat-intensive."

"What is it then?"

"A rescue mission, I suppose you could say."


	19. Abduction

"Teh, so much for the zoo." Dante remarked as they pulled up in the parking lot.

It was still intact… for the most part. However, throughout the building there were various large holes, likely formed by the cars that had been thrown into it. There was no sign of life from the outside; those cars that remained in the parking lot didn't look like they had been used since the demon army attacked the other day. But since Terrence supposedly liked looking at the animals it was possible he was still inside if the animals had survived.

Everyone got out of the car and headed towards the main entrance since it seemed to be in the middle of the area; they could take halves of the zoo in pairs. Technically they could all search separately but since they didn't know what was going on they reasoned it would be better to at least travel with someone to watch their back. That and someone needed to keep Dante from just pigging out at a snack stand.

The leaves of all the trees had rotted and fallen from their homes, and the stone seemed just as tainted here as everywhere else, but there were no signs of actual death on the other side of the entrance gates. It was possible that the demons' presence had corrupted the ambient life and surroundings as they passed but as a force they hadn't directly attacked the location since it was out of their way. Regardless, it wasn't a welcoming atmosphere; the lights were all off and the place definitely held a "ghost town" feel to it.

Arriving at a map the four saw that the place was bigger than they'd thought and decided that they would search separately but Anthony and Dante would stay in the same area as each other, with Diva and Vergil doing likewise. Dante would take the African Animals area, with Anthony checking out the birds section, Diva was going to the Reptile House and Vergil decided on North-American Predators. They could take their picks from there.

"Alright, this place is big but we should still be able to hear each other if we shout so… I guess just shout out where you are if you find him or whatever." Dante spoke before they all went their separate ways.

* * *

Enzeru's car sped across the road, riding west into the sunset as if it were the end of a spaghetti western… with cars. Whatever happened to be in his way, cars, rubble, missing chunks of the road, was quickly met with either incinerating fire or strange transparent energy that helped support the car's weight.

"Man, to hell with roadwork, they should just hire you to ride around everywhere and fix things with your magic." Lady spoke.

"Heh, I can't do it all the time; truth be told with the recent spells I've had to perform most of the energy is drained. I really only have enough for combat now, for the most part anyway."

"That's too bad, I was going to ask you if you could bring back any of the town with those powers of yours."

"Why's that? I thought you said that no matter what happens people always come back and build it back up."

Enzeru turned off the thruway and past a row of toll booths. Lady flipped them off just because she could.

"Well, yeah. But none of the people here will come back."

His grin changed as the car slowed slightly for better maneuverability.

"I see… unfortunately nature isn't something that should be messed with. I don't know if I could pull off that kind of mass-resurrection even if my powers were at max."

"Why?"

"Killing things is as natural as giving birth to them. Animals die every day in nature just as much as plants grow. But what _doesn't _happen naturally is the revival of something that's already dead. It doesn't matter what belief or religion you're from; it's not a natural thing for a being to die and then come back in the same form of life for another go. That's why stories of people coming back from the dead seem so significant."

As they drove down a street a "children at play" sign fell down.

"Whether it's destiny or something else when someone dies they're supposed to stay dead. Or if they're "unnatural" and were born or created in the human world, they go to the demon world. In which case if they die _there _that's the end; there is no other world to go to. The power it takes to bring even a single person back to life is extraordinary. As evidenced by Vergil having to use the power of the demon king to revive Diva, or Ritorno gathering the energy of so many people to bring me back. Even then, you only have so much time to do so, and both have to be done under certain conditions."

"So you're saying that it just takes too much power to bring back that many people?"

"No. Unfortunately the blunt version is that not everyone is _worth _bringing back. It's a sad truth considering most people want to save everybody. But eventually we all have to come to a decision as to what is more important to us; a hundred people we don't know, or a single person that we care for. Or, worse still; deciding between two people we love."

They arrived at their location as Enzeru stopped the car and put it in park before turning it off.

"Love isn't meant to be gauged; someone should never have to decide who they love _more_. It's really the cruelest thing you could ask of someone."

Lady was a bit speechless; for someone as shifty and unwaveringly cheerful as Enzeru it was a very deep topic for him to dwell into, let alone have feelings towards.

He noticed her state of mind and grinned normally.

"Of course the 'screw the world, I have power' approach seems to work well for just about everyone around here to one extent or another, so I suppose natural and moral decisions really don't have any place in it."

With that he got out of the car before making his way to Lady's side and opening her door as well. She got out and took in her surroundings; it just looked like a typical row of city houses. They looked big and kind of junky, but she didn't know what their significance was supposed to be.

"As I said, my powers are at the point where they're pretty much only useful for combat. However, if I only make a temporary change I can still manage some interesting feats."

He faced towards the row of buildings and raised his open hand into the air. After a few moments it glowed with the same light as his trademark flames. Then the area imploded in light and the resulting flash caused Lady to cover her eyes for a few moments. Regardless, she felt like she had been within the minimum effective distance of a flashbang grenade.

"What the hell was the point of…" Lady cut herself off as she saw the temple in front of her. It was boldly designed, though with a style that spoke of a lack of modern materials. Nevertheless she couldn't tell if it was meant more as a place for spiritual gathering or as a small fort. The outside was natural wood grain but with some kind of white ink stain. In the middle rose a tower and there were several observation posts along the extent of the circular outer ring. The entrance, instead of going straight or up steps, instead dwelled into the ground before reaching the other side. She'd never seen anything like it.

"This was the home of Lucina, I, and many other warrior priests and soldiers of our day. It was here that I experienced my first demon siege, and Sparda actually stayed here for a short while as well. Since you seemed interested in everything I figured I would give you a snapshot of it."

"It's amazing." She spoke while starting to walk around the car towards it.

"The time-reversion will only last for half an hour, but with that in mind we can do whatever we would like inside. Though as I said it is much more difficult to bring things back to life; only the building has returned, not its occupants."

"That's alright, I'm still interested."

He suppressed a chuckle.

"I bet."

* * *

"Well at least the animals are alive, I suppose." He reasoned as Vergil walked through the area.

He had made it to the North American Predators exhibit and, aside from some unmonitored fights amongst them for food, several of the animals had survived. It was ironic that various different groups of creatures trapped in cages and behind glass had survived while human beings in all their glorious technological advances had died by the bushel.

The building was quiet but for the mewling of the omega animals and he finally reached the end. No sign of Terrence. Considering no one else had called out yet either it would seem that the zoo had been a dead end.

He had been surprised when Anthony said his brother went missing as he knew the young man would be too strong to be taken down by surprise and doubted that he would just run away. He knew that way of being and that mindset and it didn't make sense for Terrence to disappear if he really was as Vergil used to be.

"I guess it doesn't matter either way." He thought out loud while pushing open the door on the other end of the building to continue his search. However, as he did so a particular exhibit was caught in the corner of his eye; The Grey Wolves. While he wasn't sure how they were supposed to be strictly North American predators he _did _notice someone in a long wool coat with black hair knelt down next to what appeared to be a freshly-fed wolf, petting it.

Vergil ignored the door and stepped towards the exhibit.

"It's rude to ignore people that are looking for you, you know." He remarked, not sounding friendly but not sounding irritated either. Regardless, the young man didn't respond. He stepped closer to the exhibit, habitat… whatever.

"As entertaining as petting wild animals must be, your brother was worried about you. If you want to stay here that's fine, but let him know next time you take off so that he doesn't get worried."

Still no answer.

_"I know we aren't exactly friends, but if it meant getting me to go away he won't even say 'fine'? My 'type' must be a difficult one indeed."_

"Alright, be that way. Once your brother knows where you are it's really not my concern anyway." He said, turning back towards the doors. Once reaching them he opened one slightly and shouted out that he'd found Terrence. However, as he was coming back he noticed the light on the other side of the door darken and backed away out of instinct. As it turned out, it was a good idea, as the door was soon cut vertically in half.

Vergil rolled up from the ground as he gazed at his attacker; Terrence.

"_What's the matter with him?" _Vergil wondered.

Putting aside the fact he likely wouldn't have attacked, he knew that the young man's combat abilities were well past simply cutting a door in half; Vergil never would have gotten away with just a single dodge. However, as Vergil saw while his attacker looked at him, Terrence was far from normal. His eyes looked glazed and dark… like they were in shadow.

"_Demonic possession? Couldn't be poison."_

"Terrence" attacked him once more and again Vergil ducked. However, this attack seemed faster, and he could see from beneath the "intern's" coat that his other weapons were still there, even though he didn't use them. So Vergil knew he wasn't just a doppelganger… maybe he was under some spell. Either way, it was unfortunate because Vergil hadn't brought anything but Ebony with him, and he couldn't afford to kill his enemy.

The affected Terrence attacked him once more, but he leapt over the attack and kicked at the teenager's back to send him a few more feet away before landing.

"_At the very least he's no danger as he is now." _ Vergil reasoned as he felt both Dante and Diva making their way towards his location. He couldn't tell where Anthony was but assumed he was on his way as well.

"_I just need to hold him off for a little while, no prob-"_

"I can't see… who are you?" Terrence spoke, now seeming more conscious.

Vergil didn't have the chance to respond before Terrence shouted at him again to say who he was. It was a surprise to the calm half-demon who had imagined that Terrence was the same kind of character. However, as the moments drew by and Terrence's demands became more and more beastly he didn't know if it was because of what had been done to him or his innate wrath that prompted the teenager to become such an embodiment of hate.

"**Fine!" **He shouted before leaping forward and attacking.

Vergil just barely dodged, but the sword tore his shirt from him from the sheer wind pressure that struck his body. And though he managed to get out of harm's way he had to admit that without a real weapon he wouldn't be able to hold off Terrence in such a state for very long. He'd known the teenager wasn't human, but he'd had no idea his power was this great.

It didn't take long for Terrence's shouts to degenerate into growls and though his sword attacks seemed to become increasingly more dangerous it began to feel like an animal was swiping its claws at him more than anything else. It wasn't long before Vergil had to pull Ebony from its resting place to at least fend off some of Terrence's attacks. And though he didn't look forward to it, if no one arrived in time to assist him he might be forced to try to kill Terrence. He'd rather not, but he had someone that needed him and he couldn't let her down.

They darted about the exhibit hall. The displays and walls they passed were annihilated by Terrence's attacks and Vergil realized that sooner or later he was going to run out of space to retreat through. His senses honed to tune out everything but the combat he was engaged in and he heard, felt, and_ experienced _every attack Anthony sent towards him. He could hear the wind wailing as the laws that governed it were denied, smelled the particles burning as the weapon clawed through the air faster than sound. Animals fled about them but despite the chaotic damage being rent upon the building itself, they never seemed to be harmed. Why that was Vergil couldn't explain, but even the consideration of it was too much, and he failed to dodge a punch from Terrence that catapulted him into the wall on the other side of the building.

"R- ridiculous!" He spoke through damaged lungs as his torso tried to heal itself.

"_How could he do so much damage with just one hit? Is the demon possessing him giving him added strength?"_

He trained Ebony on the teenager who, despite his overwhelming combat ability, didn't seem conscious of the weapon being aimed at him. Vergil waited as long as he could, marking an invisible line between him and his assailant that would declare when he no longer could afford to hold back. However, when the doors beside him flung open and a young girl with long black hair in a dress leapt in front of him, his heart skipped a beat.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she looked up at what was coming, and then turned back to face Vergil. As Terrence's sword descended upon her he saw an understanding in Diva's eyes, an acceptance… and then Terrence had crossed the line. Vergil aimed Ebony at him with no hesitation and put his finger on the trigger- as a portal opened up behind Terrence and he seemed to freeze in place.

"**W- what?" **

The tormented teenager turned back to see hands, claws, tentacles and things no one could describe reaching out for him. But despite his freakish strength he didn't seem able to do anything more than watch as they took hold of him and pulled him towards the portal.

There was a flash of black and then Anthony was in front of them, leaping towards his brother. He cried out Terrence's name, reaching for his hand, and for a moment Terrence's mind seemed to return and he asked who it was. Then he was pulled screaming through the portal and Anthony's hand reached air as he traveled through the now-empty space and failed to land properly upon his descent. The young man didn't get up after he crashed into the tiles, but Vergil imagined it wasn't because his body was damaged.

Vergil sighed as he lowered Ebony, and gazed at Diva. Who would have died had Terrence's sword gained another second.

"Vergil…" She spoke, crawling over to him and drawing the half-demon into a hug.

He dropped the handgun to the floor as Dante darted into the building. For a moment his brother continued running, but when he saw the scene in front of him he turned about and asked them what the hell had happened.

"Terrence was here. Something had been done to him and he couldn't tell what was going on. As he was attacking me a portal opened up and something pulled him through it. Then it disappeared."

"What- but- well where the hell could he have _gone_?"

"To the demon realm." Vergil responded.

Both Dante and Diva seemed surprised as he said it and he sighed.

"It would seem the demon isn't quite finished. And it would _also _seem that we can't take it easy anymore. If we're going to end this, and find Terrence, then we'll have to go hell."

The air seemed ominous, the walls cold. Anthony trembled on the floor, in sorrow or anger, no one knew. Diva hugged Vergil tighter as he closed his eyes. Then Dante spoke.

"Ah, shit!"


	20. Temen Ni Gru

Their footsteps echoed throughout the hollow halls of the temple as Enzeru and Lady made their way through it. On the inside the building's style was a mix of Feudal Japan and Medieval tastes, which was strange considering that neither style had ever truly been in America. Then again, it might have been like the pyramids that had been found in the East which bore various styles and techniques from multiple civilizations. Regardless, the interior was beautiful, and she could smell the scent of all the natural wood. In addition she could have sworn there must be incense somewhere nearby because she also picked up vague traces of cinnamon and vanilla from time to time.

"Is it nostalgic at all? Being back here, I mean." She asked him.

"Very much so. Though a lot of the memories are a kind of mixed bag."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I was a bit mischievous as a youth, and that doesn't bode too well with warriors and priestesses."

"Why do I find _that _hard to believe?" She spoke sarcastically, making him chuckle.

"Still, there were a lot of good people who grew up here. Some of whom survived until after I was trapped in the demon world. Every time I sneezed I couldn't help but feel they were joking about me; in an endearing way, of course."

They ultimately made their way towards a large room near the back of the building. And as they approached it Lady felt a strange sensation. It was as if something here was resonating with her. There were no indications as to whose room it was or for what it was used, but as she entered it Lady could tell it was someone's living quarters.

"Enzeru, do you know whose room this was?"

"Indeed; this is where the greatest warrior priestess of our time resided during the few hours of free time that she possessed."

"Was she the head of your temple?"

"No; the head priestess was more of a strategist. She was the one who decided what we were trying to do in the long term, whereas someone like me was in charge of deciding what to do once we were out in battle or traveling."

"I see."

She noticed that while the room was large, it was far from ornate. Instead it bore a subtle charm that she imagined was the best one could do in the days where mere day to day life was always a battle.

Delving further into the room, she saw what looked like some manner of necklace hanging on a hook near the modestly-sized bed. As she made her way towards it, Enzeru spoke up again.

"Did you know that in the old times, many demons and even humans sought the blood of priestesses? It was believed that if you could consume enough of their "life-force" you would gain special powers. More often than not, the reason warrior priestesses were killed was not because they lacked the fighting ability of men, but because there were so many attempts being made on their lives. As a result, they usually ended up becoming reserved, drawing themselves inward so that they couldn't be tricked by anyone seeking to betray them. Unfortunately, there was only so much that they could do. And unfortunately it was always a matter of _how _long they could manage, not whether or not they could."

Lady turned back towards Enzeru, and saw him holding a sword, one that she was familiar with. It was the same one that her father, Arkham, had used to sacrifice her mother.

* * *

Dante's car grinded along the rode as it sped back towards Devil May Cry so that they could retrieve their weapons. While it would take some time to find a way into hell, they needed every second they could manage. Dante had called Enzeru several times since they left the zoo, but he hadn't responded. So Anthony went back to his place to try and find him. All things considered, if they had a way of possessing and capturing him _too_… they were kinda screwed. Dante didn't always particularly like the guy, but he was damn good in a fight, and was stronger than just about anyone else he knew. If he could get nabbed that wasn't a good sign.

_"Damnit. I don't get it; if they could drag some of us to the demon world, why didn't they do that during the frigging siege? It doesn't make any sense." _He reasoned in his head while chaotically avoiding the obstacles on the road. As he did Dante remembered something and dialed a few numbers before calling them. The phone rang a few times before Saya's voice answered on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Saya, you and Haji get ready! Terrence has been nabbed by demons, and I can't get in contact with Enzeru!"

"What? Are they on their way here?"

"No, I don't think so. But they took him to the demon world, and if they got Enzeru too then this situation is one huge cluster- one second."

Dante had to lift the car onto the curb for a moment to avoid a shredded semi before landing back down on the street.

"I don't know what we're going to do, but we all need to be ready the _second _we can move out."

"Alright, we'll be prepared."

"Alright, see ya in a few."

Dante hung up the phone and drove faster.

* * *

It was quiet in the back seat of Dante's car, though the solemnness was not due to the danger of the demon situation but instead how quiet Diva had been since Terrence went missing. It was a silent affair, but though their mouths didn't move, it was as if Vergil and Diva were still communicating with each other.

Eventually Vergil spoke up, though he doubted Dante could hear him because of the noise of his car's engine and his focus on the road ahead of them. If he could hear them he wasn't showing it.

"Are you worried about him?"

"Yes."

"Did you become friends with him and Anthony? Or was it something that happened when you two were trapped underground?"

Diva looked at him, not sure what he was getting at.

"Are you concerned that I have feelings for him?"

Vergil looked away.

"I just haven't seen you with anyone else in the past so I don't know how it is that you'd make friends."

She was frowning as Diva pulled his face to gaze at hers.

"He and his brother grew up alone in their own way. Then when they escaped from their home they had to travel and learn everything on their own. They're like us; abandoned. But unlike us, Vergil, they haven't found anyone else to rely on, to believe in. I feel… sorry for them." She admitted, letting her hand fall away.

Vergil sighed internally, glad that her concern was based on their being kindred spirits. He didn't know why, but he'd had a strange feeling in regards to Terrence. He couldn't quite place it, but he didn't get the same thing from Anthony. He'd only known the twins for a few days, so it never got much further than that, but he never really trusted Enzeru's solemn "intern". Maybe it was because he knew how selfish people like his old self could be. Then again, he saved Diva, so maybe Vergil was wrong.

* * *

Though it had only been twenty minutes or so at most, it had felt to Saya like Dante called hours ago. The atmosphere of the shop in the front was dreary, despite the fact it hadn't really changed at all. Maybe it was all just her emotions taking control, but Saya couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen.

They had already gotten ready for the trip; while Haji didn't have to change much but make sure he'd brought all of Saya's weapons within the case with him, she had made a point of dressing practically; on her feet were boots with treads for solid traction, while her lower and upper bodies were covered by black breathable material, with a red vest somewhat like Dante's covering her torso. She'd been thinking for a while that color-coordinating each part of their group might help make things look a bit more uniform and professional, should their operations ever expand. But even though that was unlikely now, there was no harm in making it easier for Diva and her friends to distinguish her from the next moving object in a battle.

In the distance Saya could hear a rumbling, and she knew Dante was drawing near. And based on the roar of the engine he wouldn't be very long. Saya didn't head outside even though she wanted to because Dante, Vergil and Diva would all need to get their own weapons. And there was a possibility that they would want to get changed as well for the upcoming fight.

Within a few minutes she saw headlights, and it didn't take long thereafter for Dante's car to come speeding into the parking lot in front of Devil May Cry and then to a sudden stop. The car's occupants quickly exited and made their way to the shop. Vergil had somehow lost his shirt, but other than that, everyone seemed to be alright. The couple made their way to the back of the building as Dante made a beeline for his weapons cabinet.

"So what's the plan?" Saya asked him as he unlocked it.

"Go to hell, kill demons, bring back intern." Dante simplified it.

He drew Beowulf out and put on the glowing gauntlets and greaves, and then some sawed-off shotgun. The young demon-hunter seemed to mull over taking a sword with a ram's head-styled guard before seeming to decide against it. Then he pulled Yamato and Diva's smallsword from the case as well and placed them on the desk before closing the cabinet.

"But how will we get down there?" She inquired.

"Not sure yet. I keep trying to call Enzeru but he won't answer."

Suddenly something seemed to strike through his memory and he turned towards her.

"Where's Lady?"

"I don't know, she never came back after heading out last night. I'd thought she was just checking the area to see if anyone was alive, but she should have been back by now."

"Damn." He responded before putting the sawed-off in some holster beneath his coat.

It wasn't long before Vergil and Diva came back downstairs and up to the front. Vergil had donned another shirt, though it looked a bit more durable than the last one, while Diva, as per her style, had simply chosen a less fancy dress to wear.

"Are we ready?" Vergil asked, to which Dante said "yeah".

They started towards the front doors of the shop before Saya finally said "wait!" and caused them to turn around.

"We don't even have an idea _how _to _get _into hell. And once we get there we can't just run around killing everything we see. We need to come up with a real plan!"

Vergil thought for a moment and agreed with her.

"This demon isn't a 'hands-on' type; it won't exactly come out to face us. Even the way it tries to take us down will probably be underhanded now that it's seen how powerful we are in straight-out confrontation."

Dante sighed, itching Rebellion in thought as if it were his head.

"I think that above all we should start by finding a way into-" Vergil was cut off as a deep rumbling began around them, with a heavy concentration being focused out in front of the shop. Dante slowly made his way to the front window, and his eyes widened as he observed what was causing the tremors. Saya asked him what the problem was as Vergil retrieved Yamato and walked to the window as well, with Diva close behind. However, the significance of the event was lost on all but the half-demon twins as the rumbling finally ceased.

"Vergil…"

"Don't look at me, I didn't do it."

"Didn't do _what_? _What's _going on?" Saya asked as she made her way to the front of the shop… and saw a huge circular tower jutting out in front of it, about a hundred yards away.

"What _is _that?" She asked.

Despite having not seen the actual thing before, with time Diva seemed to make a connection between it and something else she had seen.

"That's the tower that links the human world to the demon world, Temen-Ni-Gru. It was destroyed over three years ago."

"What?"

Neither Dante nor Vergil answered as they exited the shop and walked outside. Far in the distance, they could see atop the tower that it hadn't been activated yet, as the telltale demonic red glow it dispersed into the clouds when released was not present. However, they _could _make out something _else _atop the tower; a figure clad in white and red, an uncommon combination of colors that Vergil hadn't seen in a uniform in several years.

"Enzeru."


	21. Break Through to the Other Side

Sorry it took so long; had to figure out an alternative solution to uploading chapters due to computer troubles.

* * *

It was definitely the demonic tower that Vergil had summoned with the help of Lady's father Arkham several years ago. It had been Dante's first "job" out of his shop, which hadn't yet been named. The events that followed led to the discovery of their father's sword, the Force Edge, in which all his powers had been sealed, as well as the death of Arkham and Dante's realization of his power. Ultimately the twins had united to defeat Arkham, who had stolen the Force Edge after manipulating everyone into following his plan. Afterwards the twins fought one another with Dante succeeding in defeating his brother only for Vergil to leap off the cliff on which they had been fighting, which led them to today.

The tower had disappeared all those years ago, and with it one of the most powerful demonic gateways that existed in the human world. But now, after Enzeru had revived it by whatever means and for who knew what reason, its threat was once more very real. A demon army was one thing; near insurmountable numbers and power weighed down upon any that got in its way. However, an active demonic gateway was perhaps _worse _because it allowed demons to pass into the human world whenever they desired. And while no one at Devil May Cry would complain about more business, it _was _ultimately their objective to eradicate the demonic presence in the human world.

Everyone rushed to the entrance of the tower, and Dante was just slightly surprised when he saw that Cerberus, the guardian of the entrance when he had first infiltrated the tower, was not there. It was a surprise but not an unwelcome one, as it would allow them to proceed to the top of the tower as quickly as possible.

"What's the fastest way up?" Saya asked the brothers as they entered the vestibule. The tower was huge; at least twenty stories tall and unrealistically large around depending on which path one would take. Dante looked around for a few moments before spotting a strange-looking elevator behind one of the main staircases.

"There. That's the elevator I used when I went up to fight Vergil the first time. It goes almost straight to the top."

However, as they neared it they noticed that it did not seem to be powered up, and Dante remembered with frustration that the only way to activate it was from higher up in the tower. The situation had gotten more complex and it would take a lot longer to reach the top if they had to hoof it. But with a step forward Anthony chopped the gate to the elevator apart and entered the cage-like shaft.

"I don't have time to run around; got to get moving." He told them before sheathing his weapon and leaping up to one of the large squares of the grating, then to another one, and another one…

"Well, all things considered, it _is _quicker than just _walking _up there." Dante reasoned before everyone agreed that they really didn't have the time to take any other way up the building.

Dante was the next to enter, hopping from one grate to another much like Anthony, but with more style. Saya followed, holding onto Haji whose mobility was greater. Vergil and Diva entered the shaft of the elevator and waited a few moments as everyone proceeded further towards the top.

"What do you think Enzeru is up to?" Diva asked the half-demon.

"I'm not sure. He doesn't seem like the type to suddenly regain an interest in becoming the demon king, especially when he helped us annihilate the current aspiring demon's army. Then again, with Enzeru you can never be sure."

"I don't think he's trying to do that. He has already lost his reason to."

"You mean the dagger that he put his power into?"

"No, I mean bringing back the woman he loved. He probably can't do that without all the power he lost, but that was the only reason he pursued it in the first place."

"Well, here's hoping that isn't the case. I would hate to have to kill him again."

Diva frowned before they both decided it was time to go and with both a purple flash and a blue blur they darted up towards the top of the demonic tower.

The sky was dark, ominous. Enzeru didn't know if that was because Temen-Ni-Gru's presence had made it that way, or if he was just experiencing a foreboding pessimism. Either way, he didn't like the current situation. Terrence's abduction was one thing; that there was a demon powerful enough to take over his mind and body was disturbing enough. But to lure them to the demonic world… there would be far more enemies there for them to encounter, sure, but he doubted that whoever the aspiring demon-king-to-be was that its plans were that simple.

Regardless, they would go to the demon world and bring the young man back. That went without saying. He knew all too well what effect being trapped in the demon world could have on someone's mind, possessed or not. And it was out of his understanding, and perhaps a sense of nostalgia, that he had chosen to don his old outfit. Who knew? Maybe if some demons recognized the uniform it would give them pause or make them run away. It had worked in the past.

"So, why did you summon the tower?" He heard a voice ask him from behind. In response, he turned towards it and told Vergil, the speaker, that they needed a way into the demon world. And that this was the easiest way. Not-surprisingly, neither Vergil nor anyone else seemed all that convinced. But it was ultimately Dante who spoke up and requested that Enzeru tell him where Lady was.

"I'm right here." The young woman in question responded as she stepped out from behind Enzeru. She had a different expression than usual, and for a moment a few wondered if she had been possessed.

"What the hell is going on? First you disappear, then you just show up at the top of this tower with our resident sociopath?" Dante demanded of her, to which Enzeru chuckled.

"This 'sociopath' is my ancestor." She responded, surprising a few of the group.

"The priestess that Sparda sacrificed to seal off the tower was also my ancestor, as well as the woman that Enzeru was trying to bring back. Their child had more children and it continued down to my mother and I. My different eye colors are a result of both my father's condition and the mix of Enzeru and Lucina's souls."

At her revelation they seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation and bacedk off… except for Dante.

"So then why can't you summon those freaky swords and go Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie-fire on people?"

Lady sighed and ignored his question as she told Enzeru that they were ready. He nodded and snapped his fingers, and the tower rumbled as it seemed to rise higher into the sky.

"We'll have twenty four hours; after that the last of these powers that I have will be too depleted to maintain the connection, and the tower will once again cease to exist. To put it simply; we're getting out of the demon world by tomorrow, or we're not getting out of there for a long, long, _long_ time."

The roof of the tower broke as various statues emerged at the corners, and a red energy shot from the middle of the floor into the sky, breaking the clouds and turning the heavens red as well. They all gathered near the middle as the connection between the tower and wherever the energy led to seemed to complete. The air was as ominous as the light that made the sky look like hell itself. Then Dante sneezed, and he entered the beam, telling Johnny to… well, you know. The rest followed, albeit without any one-liners, and soon they passed into a space that was indescribable to the senses. It assaulted their minds, trying to pry its way in, but they remained resolute, and as the haze faded they felt their transition into the demon world move along more smoothly.

Ultimately they all found themselves on a great plain devoid of life. The ground was fleshy and a sick mix of purple and brown, while the sky was a swirling black liquid. Off in the distance they could see a tower which a few of them recognized as being very similar to Mundus'.

"Seriously, what's with these demons and towers?" Dante questioned as he took a step towards it.

"I had one once; it was quite nice. Prime real-estate in the demon world." Enzeru remarked.

"Is that where my brother is?" Anthony asked them, not finding anything amusing.

"Most likely." Enzeru responded.

"Alright."

Anthony said nothing further before darting forward with inhuman speed towards the edifice.

"Dear, so much energy." Enzeru remarked.

"He's right though; if we only have a certain number of hours before the connection between the two gates fades we should move as quickly as we can." Vergil responded.

"How will we get back, though? I don't see anything here that looks like a gate or ray of light or… _anything_." Saya added.

"Though the human and demon worlds have powerful gateways like Temen-Ni-Gru and that cliff, there are also other locations that are the equivalent of small train stations where all you can really do is get off. It's not a problem, though; that tower will probably have enough energy to get us back, and if not I know a few other places that'll work."

"Alright, well then let's get moving!" Dante announced before sprinting after Anthony and towards the tower.


	22. Don't Fear the Reaper

The group reached the tower even as Anthony bisected the entrance doors up ahead. He didn't so much as glance back at them before delving into the dark edifice. And as they saw the ground tremble those who remained outside were made aware that they were not alone. As if on queue, demons began to form out of the sand and the outside of the tower itself. As the moments went on spatial waves began to resonate through the air as well. The demons were on their home turf now, and the demon hunters couldn't afford to underestimate them.

"You go! I've got them!" Dante shouted while pulling Ivory from its holster and firing at the demons. They responded to his challenge and their shapes burst forth from the portals, charging towards them all. It wasn't difficult to fight off the screeching shapes, especially with all of them in a group, but Vergil didn't like Dante having to fight them all on his own. Still, he knew his younger brother was up to the task. Yet as a demon formed behind the red-clad hunter it was rent apart by both a katana and a claw.

"We'll help you!" Saya stated as she rushed into melee with Haji by her side.

Inside the tower Anthony could be heard advancing up the various levels and the group knew they had to reach him before he arrived at the top of the tower. If the Marionette could abduct Terrence it was likely the thing could abduct his younger brother as well. And if it managed to brainwash them the situation would get a lot worse. Their combat efficiency was significant, and if that was turned against them casualties were possible.

The staircase led up along a wall of the tower and Vergil was at the forefront of the team as he ran towards it. A couple of demons jutted into his path, but it wasn't hard to dispatch them. Ascending the dark staircase, they came to a room with a tall statue. It appeared to be a statue of liberty-scale stone mannequin, and Vergil assumed it was some form of dark humor. But as he contemplated how to reach the upper levels, it began to move. Not wanting to waste time, Vergil Rapid Slashed its left leg, seeking to bring it crashing through the walls of the tower. However, even Yamato seemed unable to cut the rock, and Vergil turned towards it in shock.

The same leg that he had tried to cut kicked out at him, and he rolled to avoid the massive strike. Diva thrust at the demonic leviathan with her own sword, but the attack didn't produce any better of a result than her partner's. Retreating, they came up beside Enzeru and Lady, who had readied themselves for a fight.

"Well, now, isn't this interesting?" The shifty man mused.

The massive stone creature flexed its unmoving muscles as if getting kinks out of its joints.

"We don't have time for this!" Vergil spoke under his breath, knowing that their enemy's main purpose was to slow them down.

"But we don't know how to get up further." Lady responded.

Vergil scanned the room for any signs of some kind of hidden staircase. But his examinations were interrupted as the stone giant threw down a fist. The group avoided the colossal punch and the tower itself shook from the impact. Fortunately for them, they had all been in the air during the initial impact. As a result, not even Lady's human balance was overpowered. Once more Diva and Vergil attacked the monster's body, this time its elongated arm. Yet like before they were unable to pierce its thick skin.

"What is this thing made of?" Vergil spoke, kicking away from the thing.

"It's almost like there's something between us and its body." Diva added.

Thinking on the matter, it wasn't impossible that the Marionette had put some kind of protective field around the thing to ward off attacks. But as Vergil had kicked away, he didn't feel any resistance; nothing dampened his force.

As he tried to figure out a plan, the golem withdrew its hand for another attack. Meanwhile other, more human-sized statues could be seen moving from their resting places amongst the walls. A salvo from Lady shattered a finely-carved suit of armor. But as it fell another seemed to form on its previous pedestal, walking towards them again.

"_Great, now on top of everything else we have more annoying enemies that can respawn." _Thought Vergil.

He prepared to strike away the dozen or so statues approaching him and Diva. Yet as he did the white-haired man noticed that the decorative sculptures along the entire expanse of the walls were coming to life. If they too revived upon death, coupled with the stone giant's apparent invincibility, they might have a very real threat on their hands. At the same time, the moving shapes led his attention upwards to a platform suspended from the ceiling high above. There didn't seem to be any way of reaching it from the ground, but the colossal Marionette loomed fairly close. It was then that Vergil realized how Anthony had reached the upper levels.

"We have to climb the clown!" He shouted, drawing strange gazes and even a raised eyebrow from Enzeru. Vergil spoke again, rephrasing his statement, "before it came to life, it was essentially an awkwardly-shaped climbing platform. If we can get to its head we can reach the next level."

The plan made sense. The only problem was that all of the emerging enemies made it too difficult for them to all reach its summit. Not to mention Lady had neither inhuman endurance nor the athletic abilities to traverse such a thing while it was trying to attack her.

"We'll cover you." Enzeru advised, white fire bursting from his hands to engulf the nearby statues.

The giant rose a leg to stamp down on them and that was their chance. Vergil and Diva leapt unto the top of its stone foot even as it climbed higher into space. It didn't take long for the duo to ascend to its knee, and with gouts of bluish-white fire and salvos of lead keeping most of their enemies at bay, they bounded onto golem's shoulders. From there it was easy to reach its head and then hop up onto the platform.

"Watch yourselves!" Vergil called down to them while approaching the one and only door the balcony accessed. More accurately, it was already open, likely by Anthony. The two walked through the doorway and he closed it behind him. Diva called his name, drawing attention to something in front of them, and he realized why.

"The Dark Knight's chamber?" He asked rhetorically.

There was no mistaking it; the white marble, the "moat" in the middle that led into purple fog, the bridge that led over it and the carved archway in the opposite wall were all accurate down to the last detail.

_"But there isn't one. Not unless the demon dubbed a new knight."_ Vergil reasoned.

More importantly, Anthony was standing at the base of the bridge, facing towards someone. Diva and Vergil approached him, and he was asked what was going on. Their answer was right in front of them, though, and in dark armor stood a masked figure. In its hand was held a sword unlike the one Enzeru had wielded. However, it seemed to be imbued with some manner of dark energy.

"I'm surprised it managed to stop your progress." Vergil spoke to Anthony.

"Tough bastard; I haven't laid a scratch on him yet."

"Hm…"

Vergil tilted his head, examining their enemy. Its eyes were shielded behind the mask, and it was impossible to see them. Still, the armor did not appear to be part of the thing's body, so he estimated that perhaps it was some form of humanoid demon. Regardless of its origin, in order to pass the group needed to kill him. If they didn't slay the Dark Knight the portal forward would not open.

"Anthony, we can take this thing down quickly. With the three of us a synchronized attack will be very effective."

"Whatever you say."

"Diva? Are you ready?"

She purred, as if affectionately saying he needn't ask.

They burst into action suddenly, and Vergil drew back before unleashing a Judgment Cut on their enemy. As expected, the knight avoided the attack, but Diva was there to meet it, and she clashed swords with the warrior. Despite the difference in size, she easily held her own until Vergil neared them both, swiping Yamato at the demon's head. Once more the Dark Knight proved too agile to be harmed, and bent out of the way. It was all part of their plan, though, and Diva used the creature's shifted balance to thrust her enemy into a stumble. And as it did so, Anthony leapt in, aiming to bisect the hapless foe. But as he did something glittered in the room's light, and he hesitated, coming to a stop less than a yard from his adversary.

"What are you doing?" Vergil called as the demon regained itself and attacked.

The half-demon managed to tackle Anthony to the ground of the bridge as a defensive maneuver as Diva temporarily fought to stave off their enemy. She seemed uncomfortable due to the teenager's hesitance, and stayed on the defensive. But as her sword was struck from her hands and the knight drew back to slice at her neck she was forced to strike out at its head.

As if struck by buckshot the demon fell backwards, its masked helmet shattering upon her strike. The foe, now revealed to be a man, back-flipped to avoid an awkward landing and touched down safely. As he rose to face them, the portal behind the Dark Knight burst into color and life.

They were all confused by the strange turn of events, but as they came to realize that their enemy was a brainwashed Terrence, the situation was made clear. From his neck hung the necklace that Anthony had recognized just in time to avoid beheading his brother.

"_He's trying to separate us all." _Realized Vergil, knowing that Anthony wouldn't abandon his brother to demonic servitude. At the same time, the only way to free Terrence would likely be to kill the Marionette. Which meant that they would have to leave the room to do so.

With a sigh, he told them what had just become obvious to him.

"Anthony, you'll have to stay here and keep Terrence occupied while we continue on. The Marionette should be just beyond this room, and if we kill it your brother will likely return to normal."

Soaking in the fact that he would have to hold off his brainwashed brother, Anthony stood and readied himself.

"Alright, I'll keep him busy."

The next few seconds were tense, and Vergil could almost swear he heard some manner of high-pitched ringing in the air. He knew it was simply his mind playing tricks on him and with a flash of movement, the two brothers clashed swords. Leaping across the gap, Diva and Vergil landed on opposite sides of the bridge before reuniting in front of the portal.

"Ready for a more enjoyable remake?" The half-demon asked his female partner. She smiled and touched his cheek before they both stepped through the portal.

There was a sense of displacement about them, as if they weren't moving but simply floating. The air felt as thick as jello, and yet moist and organic. Then, with a sudden sensation throughout their bodies, they were on the other side.

"How nostalgic." Vergil spoke, seeing the same dark throne room Mundus had dwelled within.

"These demons sure do have an ironic sense of humor." He remarked, spotting a familiarly-dressed humanoid sitting in "Mundus's" throne.

"So let me guess, you're going to make us fight three of those little clown cars instead of orbs." Vergil taunted.

Whether expectedly or not, the form didn't speak. He had to admit, it was a bit unnerving.

"What do you think we should do Diva?"

She observed the strangely-dressed creature with quiet seriousness. It was doubtful Vergil knew why. Still, if killing this thing meant her nightmares would go away, even _Diva _was prompted to take the situation more seriously.

"Let's just kill him and be done with it." She spoke.

He agreed, and they began to make their way towards the throne. Yet as they did, a laugh began in their enemy's throat. By the time they reached the center of the room said chuckle had become maniacal. Ultimately it declined and the Marionette stood from its throne. It was Diva who noted the figure wasn't as awkwardly long and thin and usual.

In the darkness of the room, a mane of hair fell from beneath the mask. It was black as midnight, almost shining. And on the uniform itself something glinted; a crescent-shaped pin they hadn't seen in a while. Vergil realized too late that Diva had leapt ahead of him, striking out with her sword. As it reached the Marionette, her sword was struck away, and the quietly seething girl was forced to retreat.

A human hand rose from the "demon's" side and grasped the top of the mask.

"Why the rush?" Chided a playful voice.

The mask was torn from the man's head and tossed aside as they were met with luminescent eyes and a shifty grin. The man's skin seemed faded, as if badly transferred over from one sheet of paper to another. And behind his face bright veins could just barely be seen. Nevertheless, he seemed quite healthy. Even more so considering he was supposed to be dead.

"Don't Fear the Reaper." Spoke a demonic Ritorno.


	23. Too Late

"There's no way…" Vergil thought as he gazed on at the man he had shot in the forehead with a large-caliber bullet. The bullet hole was missing, as were all signs of any other injuries.

Soon the remains of the clown getup were torn off and he saw the man standing in the same clothes he had worn back at the "hotel" where his base had been. Though the coat was missing, what Vergil was at the very least grateful for was the absence of the man's impossibly strong sword. The current one he held didn't appear to have anything special to it, but he wouldn't underestimate it.

"What's the matter? Didn't think that there were other people that can take a bullet to the head and live?" Chided their hated enemy.

Vergil made sure to keep a close eye on Diva should she make another impulsive move.

"Well you're right; I died. Unfortunately for you, it seems that some people hate you almost as much as _I _do. So this 'Marionette' fellow saw fit to bring me back. Whatsmore…"

Ritorno disappeared- no, he just moved too fast to be seen. Before Vergil knew it a sword was slicing towards his neck. Yamato leapt up almost of its own accord to block the fatal attack, but his black-haired adversary seemed unaffected.

"Now I've got a few little demon tricks of my own."

Diva's palm struck out at the man, who quickly retreated to a safe distance. Vergil knew that she was trying to protect him. But what worried him was the amount of anger he could feel seething from her. Even while observing everyone he had never been close enough to Diva to see just how much hate she had gained for his presumed murderer.

"Ah, the bat whore. It's been a long time."

The girl's frown slid into a sneer.

"I'm _glad _that thing brought you back. Now I can make you pay for hurting Vergil."

* * *

Ethereal fire scorched the giant's feet, darkening the stone but doing little else. Enzeru dodged the golem's fist with an elegant cartwheel, coming up into a spin.

"Well, it seems I can't do much but get past its little shield." He mused out loud, though the man doubted his descendant could hear him over her gunshots. She might be fully human, but that didn't stop "Lady" from holding her own against the oncoming statues.

_"The real question is; do we even _want _to destroy this thing? On the off chance that they actually need help, it'll be hard getting up to that platform with no statue to climb."_

Outside Dante, Haji and Saya could still be heard taking on the onslaught of demons. Given that the half-demon was still throwing out one-liners and bad jokes, it didn't sound like they required any degree of aide at the moment. Still, Enzeru doubted that the demons would stop coming until the Marionette was dead.

"Quite a predicament we've gotten ourselves into." He spoke as Lady neared him, reloading her weapons.

"So, you figure out a way past that spell or whatever yet?"

"Well, I can get past the barrier. Problem is that fire doesn't work too well against stone. Not even if the fire is the demonic kind."

"Any ideas then?"

He put a thumb to his lips and contemplated.

_"Can get past the barrier, but nothing else. Not enough damage…"_

"Ah! Got it! Dear, I need your missile launcher thing."

"What? Why?"

"I need to blow the thing up with it."

"But the rockets can't get past the barrier."

"I know, but I _can_."

One of her eyebrows rose in criticism.

"Come on, if it doesn't work I'll give it right back."

"…fine." She relented, handing the large weapon to him.

"Thank you."

He refocused his gaze on the giant, who was swinging both fists down, striking like a hammer. The veteran readied himself for the attack and then nimbly dodged it with a backstep before leaping onto one of the huge statue's arms and sprinting up its length towards the shoulder. His enemy rose from the ground, perhaps planning to swat him off. However, he was already in position, and his fire scorched its way through the barrier covering the thing's head. And as one of its arms rose he aimed Kalina Ann right into its face.

"I think you're going to get a real _blast _out of this."

Then he fired, and the rocket sank into its face. A few seconds passed and he blinked.

"Huh?"

As the raised hand began to descend there was an explosion, and Enzeru found himself leaping from one mid-air statue to another as the rubble flew out like shrapnel. Ultimately he landed on the ground and gazed up at his work; the golem's head was missing, and the rest of it no longer moved. He handed Lady's weapon back to her before turning his attention back onto the statues.

"See? Have some faith."

"Heh, right."

* * *

A whirlwind of steel revolved around the "throne room". Anything it touched was easily rent through and its path was chaotic. Sparks flew as it collided with itself, creating a sort of awkward light show. However, as a section of the whirlwind spun in a full circle it disappeared, with Diva and Vergil hopping back out of reach of the attack. With the spectacle of their swords clashing over, Ritorno gave a heavy breath, and then rose his own sword to aim between them.

"Hm." That's all he said.

Vergil glanced over at Diva, seeing that her hatred hadn't diminished. In fact, as a result of their not dealing any damage, she seemed even _more _flustered than when they had started.

"You two are pretty good, but you don't really think you can kill me, do you? Least of all now that I have demonic endurance."

"I've killed plenty of demons." Diva spoke, stepping forward but not yet attacking.

"Perhaps. But how many of them have had previous experience with your fighting style? How many of them can think strategically? How many of them are smart enough to stall you until it's too late?"

Vergil's expression tightened at Ritorno's more specific final example.

_"I knew it; he wasn't the one manipulating us all this time. He's just a berserker intended to keep us busy until the real Marionette can attain the powers of the demon king." _The young man thought, knowing they would have to change their strategy.

With the ability to regenerate, as well as his already considerable fighting capability, Ritorno knew all he had to do in order to stay alive was keep from being decapitated or completely destroyed. Given that, there was very little stress they could put upon him. Especially considering their time restraint of unknown length.

"Diva, we can't do this." He spoke quietly to her.

"We can kill him. It will just take a-"

"That's not what I mean." He said, interrupting her.

"He's nothing more than a distraction. The one we really need to kill is that Marionette. If it dies our time limit will be gone, the barrier on the golem will be removed, and Terrence will probably be free of his brainwashing… Ritorno might even just turn to dust. But we won't know until we kill it."

"Then what do we do?"

"I'll hold him off. If you can get to the throne, I think that's where the portal is. I'm not sure how to get through it, but you'll at least be able to do what you can."

"I won't leave you to fight him alone." Diva spoke, remembering what had happened before.

"He still had that overpowered sword of his then. In addition to that I've beat him since then."

The girl sighed, not enjoying his conviction in regards to such an approach.

"I'm only sending you because I trust you can kill it before time runs out. You're the only one left who can manage it."

Diva gazed up at him, staring into his eyes. He smiled down on her and nodded before explosively attacking Ritorno. Yamato unleashed a barrage of attacks on the black-haired assailant, and while none of them drew blood, Ritorno was unable to do anything but block them.

Seeing her chance, Diva quickly flashed over to the throne and examined it. There was no button or engraving that signified its significance, but she _did _feel strange while standing near it. Behind her Ritorno could be heard noticing their plan, but Vergil continued to keep him at bay. The girl continued looking upon the glorified chair until, in frustration, she pushed it away. Surprisingly it moved easily, and beneath where it had stood was a glowing black portal. It presumably led to wherever the Marionette lay in wait, but there was only one way to find out. With one final glance back at her love, Diva leapt into the portal.

* * *

"Why are you doing this?" Anthony shouted at his now perfectly silent brother.

As should have been expected, there was no response. So, in frustration, the two clashed swords once again. Anthony was physically weaker than Terrence, and the demonic boost wasn't helping the younger brother's chances. However, _he _still had full control of his mind, and the young man put that to use. By turning the long machete at an inward angle, he was able to slide past Terrence's weapon, twist, and bring his own blade down through the back of Terrence's armor. He knew the damage to his brother would soon be healed, yet damaging him was painful all the same.

His enemy turned back to face the younger twin, no indication of agony or even recognition on his face.

Anthony scowled and ran forward once more.

* * *

Diva noticed a luminescent light as she passed through the portal on the other side. It led _from _thin air _into _thin air. As a result, it was an awkward landing. Still, she managed to keep from falling over upon contact with the floor.

Elsewhere she could still hear sounds of battle. That meant she was still physically in the same tower everyone else was, the top if her ears were accurate. Still, there didn't seem to be any indication of a way to get out of the room aside from destroying a wall. Even with her healing capabilities and experience with pain, Diva wasn't particularly fond of that method at this height.

"So, this is where it's doing all the summoning, huh?" She asked out loud, not seeing anyone around.

In the middle of the room was what appeared to be a raised well, though it only seemed to be a foot deep. Nevertheless, the clear glowing liquid within was undoubtedly of significance. She couldn't quite tell what it was, and, considering it wasn't blood, had no intent of finding out. Despite her not being a demon, though, she felt some kind of presence emanating from both the well and its contents. There was no consciousness residing in it, of that much she was sure. However, the aura it seemed to give off was so lively it almost seemed organic.

"Maybe I should leave it for Vergil to drink when he gets up here. He might be thirsty by then." She spoke, turning her attention to the rest of the room. Aside from the point of interest in the middle, the rest of it was rather dark and boring.

"I'm afraid not." Echoed a familiar voice. It was playful and almost child-like. She instantly recognized it as belonging to the Marionette.

"Credit due; you all did a very good job of splitting up so that at least_ one _of you could get up here. But unfortunately for you, one won't be enough." It taunted happily.

"It won't take any more than me to stretch your stockings." She responded, not feeling agitated anymore.

"Is that so?" Breathed a voice behind her.

Diva's sword swept at it horizontally, but nothing was there.

"It's true that you're a more powerful combatant than I am now. That's why I had to go through the trouble of amassing that army and bringing back that maniacal _freak_."

She almost giggled at his derogatory reference to Ritorno. It seemed that _no one _liked him. But when the voice spoke again, this time on the other side of the well, she drew her sword up, preparing either to attack or to _be _attacked. Sure enough, the lithe form entered the field of light emanating from the well's contents.

"But all that is about to change, my dear. Because I've finally done it."

Diva frowned in confusion.

"You didn't think this pretty liquid was just for _show _did you?" It asked, drawing near to the well.

_"Can't risk it." _She thought, leaping forward in a thrust. The Marionette _did _get the chance to bring some of the mysterious substance to its masked face. Still, she doubted it mattered once her sword pierced its mask through the middle. The demon's body flew back into a wall, where it hung impaled on her sword.

"Huh, well that wasn't very difficult." She spoke out lough before giving a big sigh.

"Well, I guess I'll just go help Vergil…"

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a low giggle behind her. As the moment drew on the laugh rose both in volume and in insanity. It was with more disappointment than any kind of fear that she turned back to face the obviously living Marionette.

"Too bad." It finally laughed before its mask revolved, throwing her sword into the darkness as it landed. When the demon looked up at Diva the sorrowful mask was facing her.

"So sad."


	24. According to Plan

"Hyah!" Anthony shouted, striking away his brother's weapon before changing course and cleaving some more of the armor from him. A swift counterattack forced him to retreat, and the young man once again found himself back where he started.

Every time he had to back off the brainwashed Terrence was left with less and less demonic armor. However, since he didn't have any intention of actually killing his opponent that didn't mean a whole lot. Originally it had been the rough youth's plan to simply knock out his elder twin, but it hadn't met with any degree of success.

_"How long can it take to kill a clown?" _He complained in his head.

Once more the two met in combat. The exchange was more or less a repeat of before, though this time Terrence's sword caught Anthony's sleeve. But as he started to back away, Anthony stopped and charged back in, swinging mighty arcs with his long machete. His enemy hadn't expected the sudden resurgence of violence, and was knocked off balance. Taking it as his chance to KO his enemy, the black-haired teen faced the blunt side towards Terrence and struck the brainwashed warrior in the forehead.

"About damn- shit!" Anthony cursed as he saw the wounded young man fall off the bridge and disappear over the side.

"Terrence!" He called after his brother, dropping his weapon and diving to the edge of the bridge. But by the time he got there his twin had already disappeared in the dark purple fog. Stunned, he gazed into the crevice, wondering what he had just done.

* * *

"Don't you think you're moving a bit slow?" Taunted Ritorno as Vergil blocked.

Their fight had been a stalemate so far. Despite Vergil's own considerable speed, Ritorno's demonically-enhanced powers were proving rather troublesome. Even without his overpowered sword, it was unlikely the man would fall anytime soon.

_"But I have to get out of here so I can go help Diva. There's no way of knowing whether or not that demon got its full power before she arrived. And if it did even _she _won't be able to defeat it alone."_

Yet his crazed, black-haired opponent was proving to be very good at his job of keeping Vergil occupied. Unless Anthony or anyone else managed to make it through it was unlikely he would be able to get away.

"Why are you fighting for that weak demon?" Vergil challenged.

"Weak? I didn't see _you _bringing anyone back from the dead, demon boy."

The two clashed swords in the middle of the room, fighting to put each other off balance.

"So it has control whether you live or die, is that it?"

"More or less. If he dies, I live. If I turn against him, I'm dust. So, for now…"

Ritorno allowed himself to fall into a back bend; his torso parallel to the floor but anchored via his standing legs. As Yamato passed over him he swung down with his own weapon. Vergil managed to block from behind, but a kick to his spine informed him that he was in a bad situation. As the half-demon stumbled he Tricked over to one of the walls and turned back towards his enemy.

"So then I guess that means you won't get out of my way even if I didn't kill you."

Ritorno laughed off his vague offer.

"My, haven't _you _gotten merciful?"

"It's a plus of allowing yourself to care about someone else. You should try it sometime."

"Ha! As if I need to care about a whore to do what I need to with her." The man retorted as they once more clashed weapons.

"Well that 'whore' is going to kill the clown that brought you back, and then our ally's brainwashing is going to wear off, and the demons are going to subside. Then guess who everyone's attention is going to be focused on?"

For a moment Ritorno's eyes went wide, and Vergil thought he'd gained an advantage, but then his opponent retreated, laughing at him.

"Wow! You're not even _close _to being in the loop _are_ you?"

He frowned and raised Yamato in case it was a trick.

"What do you mean?"

In-between laughs, his enemy managed to respond.

"The 'clown' was almost done getting the powers when I got set up here. By the time your booty call got there, it would have been ready for her. Chances are she's getting her sweet little ass gored all over the place by now."

He bit his cheek and ran towards Ritorno in anger.

"So _that's _your revelation? That he was almost ready with his little spell?"

Despite Yamato swinging toward him, his opponent seemed quite calm.

"You just don't get it."

A sword leapt up to get in his way.

"This is all part of the plan, and you can't even see it."

"What do you mean?" Vergil shouted at him, no longer in the mood for games.

"You'll see, soon enough."

* * *

Diva heard bones cracking as she collided with the wall. It wasn't surprising, considering she'd been hit with the momentum of an airplane. There was no time to heal before she had to avoid another attack, but the girl managed to avoid the Marionette long enough to return to prime condition.

"What happened to your confidence, young miss?" Chided the Demon King.

The Marionette's form had grown longer, and it's body shadowy. As if it were not corporeal, the demon seemed to shift in and out of space. Whether that was true or not was difficult to ascertain since the room was very dark now with the departure of the glowing liquid. All around her voices laughed and cried at the girl. She found it to be rather distracting.

"Just as soon as you give me a face to smack, I'll let you feel it." She responded.

Her enemy had definitely gotten stronger, but she got the feeling that it didn't quite know how to utilize its full power yet. That was why she'd hoped to finish the thing off quickly even after it attained such powers. Alas, that had been a teeny bit unsuccessful.

"Very well, here you go." Spoke a voice behind her.

Before Diva could turn around, however, tendrils wrapped around her body and lifted the girl up into the air. She struggled against them, but they were constricting her like demonic anacondas.

"Why must you 'kings' always be so boring?" She spoke despite the tremendous force trying to crush her.

"Would it be so hard to _not_ be under-handed?"

The tendrils tightened and even with her practiced lung capacity Diva found it hard to breathe.

"Ramble while you can, lovely; once you're dead I'm going to put a sprite in your body and take control of it. Then you'll go back and find your boyfriend and gut him. And as he dies the man will get the chance to see your body burst apart. Rather poetic, don't you think?"

The implications of hurting Vergil relieved Diva of her boredom, and drove her to struggle violently against her oppressors. But despite her effort, it didn't do much but keep them at bay. There was no way to squeeze free, and she wasn't strong enough to simply pull them apart.

"You might be able to prolong your fate, but what's the use?" Spoke the Marionette with the decidedly happy tone prevalent in its current mask.

"I'm not going to let you hurt Vergil." She growled, tearing at her binds.

"Even if you can keep that up for eternity, I still have an ace in the hole."

She swallowed and her movements became more frantic. As she struggled against the demonic tendrils, however, another came up out of the darkness. It slithered through the air and aimed at her face.

"Or rather my ace of spades. And as all card-players know, the Ace of Spades always beats the King of Hearts."

"What did you do?" She shouted, knowing that there was no way to block the incoming attack without being constricted by the one she was currently fending off. Behind her Diva felt a presence, and she felt a bead of sweat form on her forehead as the answer was whispered into her ear.

"Terrence was never brainwashed."

The girl's breath was caught in her throat as the tendril drew back like a snake's head. Then it darted forward, its reflection in Diva's eyes appearing as the reach of death itself. She heard a terrible, squelching sound, and then all was silent.

* * *

His vision went white, and the nearby statues were melted into nothing. Similarly, Lady blew up her nearby assailants. The process was tedious, but at the very least there was no concern that they might be overcome.

_"Still, it would be nice to get up there so that I can help someone out." _Enzeru thought. However, despite her experience in handling demons he wasn't sure Lady could take on the horde of respawning statues on her own.

As if on queue, they could hear the remains of the entrance doors to the tower crash inwards. Soon after footsteps ran their way up to the relatives' floor and Dante, Haji and Saya materialized. They were covered in blood, though he doubted much of it, if any, belonged to them.

"Damn! Those guys are persistent!" Dante admitted, beheading a nearby attacker as the groups fought their way to each other.

"So, what's the deal here?" Dante shouted over the clanging of swords and the explosions of repeated gunfire.

"These statues keep coming back. No way to destroy them permanently. So I couldn't get up there!" Enzeru responded in a raised voice.

"Well now you've got reliefs; get your ass onto that hard dude!"

Enzeru chuckled even as the others flashed the man awkward glances for his joke.

"With pleasure!" He announced, cartwheeling his way through a swarm of enemies before leaping onto a knee of the decapitated golem. Several airborne enemies tried to dissuade them, but their conviction melted as easily as their bodies within his flames. With one final inhale he lunged through the air and his hands caught the edge of the platform. Then, with practiced grace, Enzeru did a full flip up through the air and landed on the ledge.

"Now, let's see what's behind door number one." He thought out loud while strolling into the next room.

He wasn't terribly surprised to see a recreation of "his" old room from Mundus' tower; demons could be rather repetitive. However, he saw no enemy, just Anthony lying on the bridge, one of his arms hanging over the side. Enzeru pushed off the ground and made a long skip to the young man's location. Rolling him over, he could see that the youth was both breathing and unharmed.

"What happened? Did you decide to take a nap?" He asked Anthony with some humor. Unfortunately his audience was apathetic, and looked away.

"Terrence… he's gone."

For a moment Enzeru felt sadness seep into him, and then noticed where Anthony's attention had been focused upon his own arrival. A sense of déjà vu enveloped him as he turned the young man's head to face him.

"What do you mean by 'gone'?"


	25. Deception

Diva fell to the floor of the chamber as the tendrils evaporated into black mist. It was hardly a graceful landing on her part, but considering her skull was still intact she wasn't going to complain.

Pushing up from the ground, her blue eyes gazed out towards the room, seeing the Marionette's mask hovering in mid-air. The lithe body attached to it was limp and, seeing the sword sticking through its chest, she wasn't surprised. She heard no heavy breathing, so assumed it was dead. However, when it spoke up in a whisper the girl guessed she'd been wrong.

"I- impossible."

"_You're _the one that chose not to increase your durability with your new powers." Spoke a voice behind it.

In a sudden move the Marionette swung itself off of the sword and collapsed on the ground, scuttling away like a bug. When it reached the wall the thing climbed it until its humanoid body reformed and it gazed at the young man that floated down through the air.

"Terrence?" She asked, seeing the boy in his usual attire with all of his weapons.

He glanced at her before lowering his katana and gazing at the demon king with an apathetic gaze. It was an extremely different expression than Enzeru had revealed after attacking Mundus, the previous demon king. Then again, the Marionette wasn't quite dead.

"Why did you do this, Terrence?" A sorrowful voice called out. However, she doubted the feeling came from anything but the mask's dominant face.

"Isn't it obvious? Why would I choose to follow you if I could have that power for myself?"

The chiropteran swallowed, wondering what Terrence meant by that.

"Besides, as you are now, I can kill you easily."

The mask changed and the entire expanse of darkness throughout the room seemed to turn into a thousand tendrils. It's mask began to switch as it spoke, "We'll see about that!"

Diva blinked, and Terrence was covered in darkness. She heard tearing and flesh being torn from its bones, but not from his location. The girl wondered what was going on, and then she saw a glint behind the Marionette. The room's darkness seemed to recede as various objects sailed down through the air and impaled themselves in the floor. As they did Terrence reared back, and then his left hand jumped forth and crushed the demon's mask as well as the rest of its head. The Marionette's corpse began to fall backwards towards the ground, and he withdrew the katana that had been imbedded in its chest.

"Reality is the only judge."

Then the body hit the floor and it trembled as if in its death spasms.

"This… this doesn't change anything." Spoke something within the mask.

Diva found herself wondering how the thing could still be alive, though it seemed to be breathing its last breaths. She felt a gaze upon her.

"You _will _kill-" It was cut off as Terrence's foot crushed whatever life was left in the head.

No declaration of victory followed as the demon's corpse dissolved into a similar black mist as the tendrils. The whole room's energy seemed to draw inwards, with Terrence as its nucleus. Diva wondered in apprehension more than fear whether this turn of events was really better off. But as she was blinded by both light and darkness, the girl realized it didn't matter.

* * *

"What's the matter? Getting tired, are we?" Ritorno chided as he adjusted his footing.

Vergil was breathing heavily, though he didn't know if it was out of fatigue or concern for Diva. His heart raced, and the half-demon knew that if it weren't for half of his lineage, he would have dropped dead by now.

"Answer me! What did you mean?"

The older man sighed and raised his weapon, aiming it horizontally.

"What makes you think I have an obligation to tell you _any__thing_?"

Vergil snarled and ran at the man. Ritorno smirked as he did a full twist and swung his sword at his enemy's neck. There was a clang as the two came to a stop, both wide-eyed. Between them was a young man with jet black hair and an apathetic gaze. Vergil realized, as he gazed at Terrence, that something seemed different about him.

"What the hell?" Ritorno spoke in a normal tone but with an obvious degree of surprise.

"The demon king's power is mine." He said.

Ritorno gasped as his sword was struck away and Terrence, almost in a mocking gesture, spun through the man and cut across his chest. Blood fell from the cavity and drenched the floor, and before he could react Terrence's shoe collided with his face and blasted him through the wall. His scream echoed hatred more than fear as he plummeted several stories to the ground below. It was impossible to tell if the impact killed him, but either way he was no longer a threat.

Vergil felt a bead of sweat drop from his chin as his body finally seemed to work. The aching in his muscles reminded him of just how hard he had been fighting. Further, it served to remind him of just how unimaginable it had been that Terrence could defeat the man so quickly and effortlessly. There was something to be said for the element of surprise, but still.

_"Wait, he obtained the powers of the demon king?" _

"Where is Div-"

"I'm right here, Vergil." The girl spoke to him as she walked from the vanishing portal beneath the throne.

"It's over; the demon is dead."

"Then _he_…"

Diva nodded and came to stand by him as both gazed at the young man who now finally sheathed his weapon.

"Yes; Terrence killed it and then took its power. He must have made the Marionette think he would side with it so as to get close. Then he killed it when it was about to do the same to me."

The half-demon didn't know if he was more appreciative or wary of the young man's acts. However, if Terrence truly had no intention but to destroy it would have been easy enough to kill both combatants while they were stunned. He also wouldn't have bothered to save Diva.

"We can go back now." She concluded.

Terrence blinked and walked towards the hole in the wall. Gazing down at the ground below, he turned his head to address them for a moment.

"You two tell everyone what happened. I'll take care of things down below."

With that he hopped through the damaged wall and fell silently several hundred feet. Based on the screams and shrieks that followed, the fall didn't seem to affect his battle efficiency. Vergil had to admit that the young man's power was impressive. Even considering the energy he had attained, his natural ability was obvious.

"Let's go, Vergil." She spoke to him.

Finally he managed to nod and they made their way to the portal that led back to the "dark knight room". Once there they spotted Enzeru and Anthony. Explaining to them what had happened, the young twin soon departed to find his elder sibling. Down below the statues could be heard falling to the ground and within a minute no sounds of battle could be heard. It really _was _over.

"I guess I've got a fan." Enzeru remarked on how Terrence had essentially emulated his own coupe years before.

"Maybe. Though thankfully he decided to leave the tower as is." Vergil responded in regards to the man's utter destruction of Mundus' tower while they were still in the vicinity.

"True. But at least I had the decency to be sociable. Young mister Terrence didn't even come to pay me the respect I deserve for providing him with such a great role model."

Diva giggled at Enzeru but Vergil found himself unable to enjoy any degree of humor. He didn't like how things had progressed. Rather, he didn't quite trust Terrence with the powers he had attained. If it was one thing he knew, it was that emotionally unstable people shouldn't be in control of such power. And he doubted that Terrence was an entirely moral person.

The trio returned to the lower floor and informed the others as to what was going on. Vergil noticed that Dante was possessed of a similar view as he, though neither expressed such thoughts. The others were powerful warriors, but the brothers knew just how corruptive power could be for those who were already touched by darkness.

When they made their way outside the tower an elephant graveyard of demon corpses awaited them. Some seemed to have almost died of shock in that they appeared otherwise unhurt. Meanwhile others were rent into unrecognizable shapes. Anthony and Terrence could be seen standing in the midst of corpses even as a portal opened out of nowhere in front of the defacto Demon King.

"We're done here. Let's go back." He said before stepping through the portal, followed shortly thereafter by his twin. The rest of the group began to wade their way through the corpses before Dante started kicking the carcasses aside with his boots. Diva, however, noticed that Vergil hadn't moved.

"Is something wrong?" She asked him, snapping the half-demon out of his thoughts.

"No, I was just thinking. Sorry about that. Let's go."


	26. Megadeath

After returning from the demon world everything had been going along fine. In fact, things were better than ever before. Demons were once again divided and undisciplined, which meant more little hunting jobs. Though they originally had to travel for jobs, as the surrounding areas were still being repopulated, soon there was local business again.

Enzeru finished fixing up his fortress and both his and Dante's groups were hitting the demon business _hard_. With Terrence's newfound powers he more than made up for the smaller size of Enzeru's business and soon "Purgetory" was a competing business against Devil May Cry. Though Dante campaigned against the business, his efforts didn't dull the competition's customer flow. Perhaps if he did more than simply liken the name to a teenage girl continually throwing up, his propaganda would have met with greater success.

Beyond simple daily life , however, Terrence's reputation was growing. Every demon seemed to know that he was the new Demon King, and how that knowledge got around was anyone's guess. At first attempts were made on his life, as was to be expected. In time, though, evidence of his overwhelming power also became common knowledge amongst demons and soon the assassination attempts ceased. Later on demons wouldn't even go near him. The young man had the powers of a god, and all of his "populace" knew that now.

One could say that his effect on demons was a good one, but Vergil had been keeping an eye on him. His capabilities were astounding, and whatsmore, he seemed to use them however he desired. Terrence never went on killing sprees, even when it came to demons, and his mood seemed to always be under control. But it wasn't his emotions Vergil was worried about; rather, it was his mind. The young man gave off the impression that he did whatever he wanted, and the only reason he never turned against them seemed to be that he simply didn't develop the desire to. Dante saw it as well, though he didn't look into it as much as his analytical brother.

Diva had been spending a lot of her time with the brothers. Such a thing wasn't a huge surprise, as they were her new friends. Given that the teenagers had a backstory somewhat similar to Diva's own, it only made sense that the girl would enjoy being with them. Despite that, she continued to be around Vergil the most and even invited him to come with her a few times. There wasn't much to be suspicious about, but he still got a strange feeling when she was around them.

It had been a few months since their return, and Vergil was sitting on one of the office's couches as the others were getting food. He would have gotten his own, but Diva insisted on getting it for him. As everyone gradually returned with their food, his partner sat down beside him, handing the half-demon a plate of food.

"Thank you."

She smiled and nodded back at him before starting to dig into her own supply. Though the human food provided her with little if any nutrition, she had learned from Saya that simply eating human food because it tastes good could be rewarding.

"So we've gotta do this quick." Announced Dante.

"There's a job to do, and I don't want to lose it to Enzeru and the Business Stealer King."

Diva was the only one who found it amusing, but Dante shrugged off everyone else's lack of humor and continued. Somehow the young man had figured out how to eat and speak at the same time.

"Apparently there's some demon down by a nearby marina that looks like a megadeath."

Vergil stopped eating to look at his brother.

"How do you look like a megadeath? What does that even _mean_?"

Dante shrugged as he quickly finished his food.

"No clue. Still, it's the mark, so it could look like a clown with a swordfish nose, the lips of Angelina Jolie, the ass of a Babboon and a Barney tattoo on its foot; we've still gotta kill it."

Despite his obscure example, everyone agreed with Dante. Killing another demon was, well, killing another demon. It didn't take long for the others to finish their food, after which they gathered their weapons and headed outside.

Following the various… transportationally-challenged experiences the group had gone through, Dante had relented that they could spend some of the money earned from their missions on an additional vehicle. The downside was that when it came to doing something he didn't want to, Dante gave a half-assed attempt, and that was doubly so in situations including the expenditure of money.

As the red-clad demon hunter rode out in his old musclecar with Diva, Vergil and Saya inside, Lady's motorcycle roared behind him… with Haji sitting in a passenger car attached to its side. At first he could simply sit in it as the group traveled from mission to mission. However, as the area was being repopulated and police returned, he had to wear a helmet. Which, as luck would have it, turned out to be hot pink. Though he suffered in silence, Dante theorized that, as any man would, Haji died a bit inside every time he had to wear it.

Regardless of their means, the troupe drove along the cleared roads until the sound of waves could be heard in the distance. After a while the ocean could be seen through the alleys of buildings, and eventually they arrived at the parking lot for the marina.

"So… this is the place." Remarked the young man as he stepped out of his car and closed the door. The others followed him as Lady arrived soon after with Haji in tow.

"I don't see any signs of destruction." Saya observed.

The marina was medium-sized, with a few larger boats docked beside piers, and mostly family-sized passenger boats taking up the rest of the water space. There were various modern staff buildings, some seeming to be of an office type while others looked more like maintenance structures. The docks were a mix of concrete and wood, depending on the designated area at which certain sized boats were to be docked. There weren't many cars in the plain parking lot, and no one seemed to be around. But other than that, they didn't notice anything suspicious. In the distance was a party boat with some twenty passengers aboard. The ship was vacant of pirate flags, and everyone on it looked perfectly human from what they could make out.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Asked Lady as she turned off her motorcycle.

"Yeah, positive."

Vergil continued looking around before noticing Diva standing on the edge of a pier, gazing off into the ocean. With her white dress and long black hair blowing in the wind, it looked as if she was one of the female lovers in nautical story tales; waiting for her loved one to return. He found himself admiring her beauty as she turned back to face him. For a moment her eyes were shining, as the sunlight glanced off them. Then they were back to normal as the group walked towards her.

"Do you see something, Diva?" Her sister asked.

"No, it's just pretty."

Vergil came from behind and embraced her as the rest of the group scanned the horizon for any signs of something they could describe as a "megadeath". Alas, they met with no success. Eventually they decided to see if there was anyone around that might know about "weird things happening". It was kind of a dumb thing to ask a random person and chances were they would either be ignored or someone would call the cops on them, but it was all they could really do.

Vergil didn't see anyone outside, and didn't hear anyone over the sound of the wind. All he could make out through the unadulterated breeze was the sound of heavy waves crashing against the pier.

"_Wait, too far off…" _He thought while turning to look at the pier, and seeing that the party boat was gone and a large wave was scattering in its wake.

"Look!" He spoke while gesturing in its direction, already looking for any survivors.

"Well, at least we know where to go now." Dante remarked as Lady dashed towards the dock, likely looking for a boat they could take.

"What could have done that?" Saya remarked.

"I see a few people. We need to get over there quickly." Vergil said as the rest of the group neared a boat Lady had boarded.

"Wait, are we really going to get on a _boat _to go after that thing?" Dante asked, seeming dumbstruck.

"What if it's like a great white shark or something?"

"Great white sharks aren't big enough to make a boat that size just disappear." Vergil corrected his brother as they heard the ship roar to life. Everyone thanked the boat's nameless owner for being so careless and they sped off towards the survivors.

"Well whatever it is, its new diet is going to consist of omega three bruised asses."

Despite the situation everyone gazed at him.

"You know… because fish are high in…"

"No… just… no…" Lady spoke.

Dante waved them off as the shadow of a cloud moved past them. At least that's what they thought it was. But as time went on and they realized the ocean didn't seem shaded at all they came to realize it wasn't a huge cloud, but some kind of organism.

"Dante, what did you say the person described the demon as?"

"A megadeath, I already-"

"Are you sure it wasn't a megaladon?"

The red-clad brother gazed at his twin.

"Oh yeah, that's it. How'd you know?"

Before Vergil could respond Haji pointed forward and the group witnessed a massive shark swallow the last of the survivors whole. It was big… bigger than something as fearsome as a shark should be allowed to grow. How the thing had avoided spreading panic was beyond them. A creature of such length and girth would be hard pressed for stealth, but then again, who knew how deep the water was?

"_Wait… water…"_

"Dante, you were right." Vergil admitted as the creature's huge fin, the size of a car, sliced through the water. It moved in a semicircle, the water spreading out in large waves in its wake. Ultimately it stopped turning, and the massive predator increased in speed, moving like a torpedo. They could finally make out glowing red eyes and huge table-sized abstract works of art that were its razor-sharp teeth. The demonic megaladon was larger than the leviathan Dante had encountered after leaping from Temen-Ni-Gru and multiple times bigger than any whale.

It took the group too many seconds to realize what was going on, and Lady finally started steering the boat in a different direction. But it was too late; the creature was hungry, and they were its new prey.


	27. Jumping the Shark

Lady fired a missile from Kalina Ann, and it jutted into the water towards the monstrous shark. The creature didn't seem to notice it, but when the missile hit the resulting explosion seemed to dissuade their enemy for a moment. Instead of crashing into the boat and scattering it into a thousand pieces, the megaladon instead sailed past it. As a result they were all left unharmed, though the waves that followed in the creature's wake threatened to capsize the vessel all the same.

"How the hell do we kill that thing?" Lady shouted over the sound of water raging around them.

"It'll be impossible to defeat it with swords; it's too thick and the thing's speed as well as the water will make it possible to stay atop it for prolonged attacks." Vergil observed.

"But will bullets do anything to it?" Saya requested as the creature turned about, preparing for another attack. In the process its body nearly _glided _through the docks, knocking about wood and concrete as if they were lego blocks.

"Even if they _will_, I doubt we'll be able to stop it before getting our asses thrown in the water." Dante added.

"Vergil, my dress is getting wet." Diva informed her significant other, uninterested in the danger of the situation.

"It's probably going to get a lot worse before this battle is over, Diva." He responded.

She pouted and noted that the gigantic shark was growing close to them again.

"Isn't there a way to just blow it up?" She asked absent-mindedly.

The megaladon, or rather the demonic incarnation of it broke the surface and opened its mouth wide. It looked like they wouldn't have to worry about capsizing after all, as chances were they would be swallowed whole. Now their only issues were the likelihood that the thing's rows upon rows of spike-like teeth would chew them up, or if they would be washed into whatever sulfuric acid factory it had for a stomach.

As Lady tried to maneuver the boat to the side, Dante and Vergil fired at the creature with Ebony & Ivory. However, it didn't seem to so much as tickle, and Dante hadn't brought any heavier firepower. Given the lack of response their attempts so far had prompted, it was unlikely it would have mattered anyway.

"Alright, so we need a plan B." Dante admitted.

"Can we jump onto its back and run towards shore or something?" Saya asked.

While the monster was so long that even now its tail fin splashed waves onto the solid concrete of the parking lot, it was unlikely the thing would stay surfaced.

"If it goes under we'll just be a couple of paddling jackasses in the water; as hard to kill as shooting fish in a barrel." Voiced the red clad demon hunter.

"Well we need to think of something." Vergil spoke, more level-headed.

"Because it's almost here."

The sun shone down from above the parking lot… until the megaladon's open maw drew in front of it and blocked out the illumination. The boat was covered in a dark shadow and they could smell its breath; a mix of intense salt and deep-sea algae. As water rushed down into the gigantic shark's throat everyone noticed, some with more shock than others, that the boat was being drawn in as well.

"Could _really_ use a plan about now!" Lady shouted, firing pointlessly at the inside of the creature's mouth.

Dante looked around, checking to see if there was anything they could use to their advantage. At this point he'd settle for a cavity that might be a bit more sensitive to damage. However, he found something better upon peering deeper into the massive shark's mouth.

"Diva, Saya, get Lady out of here!" He shouted.

"Vergil, Haji… I'm gonna need your help on this one."

It didn't take long for the group to agree that some plan was better than none. Dante took the controls of the boat and sped the boat to go as fast as it could towards the creature. Then everyone positioned themselves at the back of the boat and waited. When the moment came they all leapt, the sisters with Lady in tow rose above the monster's jaw and ultimately made it onto the top of its head. Meanwhile the men aimed for the entrance to the megaladon's mouth and landed between its teeth. Finally, the boat shot up into the air from the force of their jumping, and jutted into the back of the creature's throat. Apparently it hit something tender because it caused their enemy to gag.

"Now!" Dante shouted.

Vergil drew into a stance and unleashed a flurry of Judgment Cuts on the creature's mouth while Haji wrenched a tooth from its gum and Dante sliced at them with Rebellion. The monster roared in pain and as a result of its having gagged, the creature couldn't submerge for a few moments. It reared its head back while shouting into the ocean air, and they took the opportunity to jump out of its maw and land on its back. In front of them they could see the sisters and Lady leap into the water near the remainder of the docks. Following their example, Haji, Dante, and Vergil ran as fast as they could along the creature's back. Despite their speed, they still had to jump before reaching the shore since the creature finally managed to submerge itself again. They crashed into the temperamental waters and began making their way towards the safety of the ground.

"We've gotta reach the parking lot before that thing gets to us!" He spoke while turning his head to the side.

The three thrust their arms through the water and kicked like… well, like their lives depended on it. There was no time to look behind them to see if the creature had turned about, or to look ahead and see if the girls had gotten out of the water yet. However, as time went on and they felt the water current change, it was evident that the huge creature was on its way back.

All of a sudden Dante hit hard rock, and despite the pain he was glad they had reached their destination. The three men hauled their bodies out of the water and turned about to see that the shark had indeed turned around; it was only a couple dozen yards away. Its mouth was open again, revealing the inside… and a complete lack of damage. Even the tooth Hagi had torn out seemed replaced by another one.

_"Great; not only is the thing massive and powerful, but it can regenerate too."_

"Well _now _what do we do?" Lady spoke, still heaving from the swimming she'd had to do.

"It will be hard to kill it while we're on land, but at least it can't get _us either_." Saya added.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Vergil contradicted just before the gargantuan leviathan hurled itself out of the water and aimed itself towards them.

"'Breaching'; they can jump out of the water to catch prey in their jaws." He added as they readied themselves. Despite the immense strength most of them exhibited, they would be hard-pressed to stop such a thing before it could eat them up. For that matter, it could probably land on them and crush the life out of them with its weight alone.

"So, uh… I'll take the fifty tons on the left-" Dante's anxious quip was interrupted as someone was suddenly in front of them. In the giant fish's shadow the newcomer's black-clad appearance and hair made it him seem almost like an illusion. In a flash, the megaladon's head shifted and then separated. The newcomer rose up into the air and spun, kicking the head and then the body back into the sea.

A wave approaching the size of a tsunami spread out in the mammoth corpse's wake, but fortunately only a few drops reached the ground as the monster slayer landed and sheathed his sword. He turned around, and Terrence gazed at them with an apathetic expression.

"The bigger they come…" He mused.

Most of the group was dumbstruck. In the span of ten seconds he had managed to single-handedly _kill_ the huge creature that had been proving a very real threat to a group of seasoned demon hunters. While he'd had his demonic powers for a while now, it was still unbelievable how powerful he really was.

"Damn. Good job." Was all that Dante said.

"Uh, thanks. How did you know that-" Terrence cut Lady off by telling her he had been in the area, ironically getting some fish to take back to Enzeru's place.

His gaze finally came to meet Vergil's and he noticed that the half-demon didn't seem dumbstruck or thankful. In fact, he appeared to be upset.

"Is something wrong?" He requested.

After a moment, he spoke up.

"That slash… on its completion the blade almost reached us."

The young man didn't give any obvious reaction to Vergil's insinuation.

"In battle weapons sometimes get close to allies. It's a fact." He responded non-challantly.

"Not when you can easily kill your enemy."

"Why does it matter? No one is harmed. If I hadn't attacked it would have crushed some of if not all of you."

Diva touched Vergil's arm and he glanced down at her. When he looked back at Terrence his gaze seemed uninterested and he dismissed it.

"Well, with the creature dead we don't have a reason to be here anymore. I'm heading back to the car." He stated, walking away from the group. Diva lingered for a few moments but ultimately followed after him. When they were both well on their way back someone finally spoke up again.

"Well, all internal affairs aside, I'm just glad this afternoon ended without me having to hack my way out of a monster-stomach. I've done it before, and it ain't fun." Dante spoke, trying to break up the seriousness of the situation.

In the water the last sign of any huge shark was finally vanishing. One could only hope that nearby fish would pick at the corpse and that the bones would separate before some aquatic researcher discovered a modern day megaladon in the harbor.

Terrence gazed into the water, for what reason, no one knew.

"Is it coming back up or something?" Lady asked.

"No…" Was all the young man said before turning away from both the ocean and the group and walking off. Before anyone could call after him he had vanished.

"Damn, that kid isn't very personable." Dante complained.

"If it weren't for him we would have been in real trouble, Dante." Saya reminded him. He waved her off before making his way to the car where Vergil and Diva were waiting inside. He got in and turned the car on, waiting for the others to reach them.

"So what was with that little spat?" He asked, ruining any hope Diva might have had in keeping Vergil happy. Unexpectedly, his twin didn't sound angry as he answered. Rather, he simply sounded fatigued.

"His slash wasn't wide because of poor technique; I don't think he knows how to control his powers. What's more, I don't get the feeling he cares about much more than himself and Anthony."

Dante scratched his head.

"So you're saying he's dangerous? Makes sense, but Enzeru has some badass powers too. The only way that we know that _he _isn't a threat is… well… he hasn't fried anyone extra crispy yet."

"No. What I'm saying is that he's unstable and so are his powers. With an allegiance to only his brother, we can't count on him as an ally."

"But you don't know that. You might be misjudging him."

It was a surprise to both men when it was Diva who spoke up. Vergil looked at her, and noted that she wasn't looking back. The girl didn't seem angry or even sad, just upset.

"Diva…"

"You and I know what it's like to be misunderstood; how terrible it can be. What if that's what you're doing?"

Vergil couldn't argue with her. Whether he agreed with his love or not, it just wasn't in the half-demon. When Saya got in the car and noticed the presence in the car she asked what was wrong.

"Nothing. Just reeling from our encounter with Jaws' Vietnam vet uncle." Dante spoke before speeding off.

Vergil and Diva were looking out of their respective windows, away from each other.


	28. Virus

Devil May Cry's office was filled with stale air. The windows seemed lightly frosted with dust and the entrance doors squeaked more as they were opened and then closed. Lady entered the depressing scene and looked about. Everyone was rather silent, even Saya's usual attempts at optimism seemed suppressed.

"Did you guys wake up to find your puppy dead or something?" Lady requested of them while freeing Kalina Ann from her shoulder.

Despite being mostly silent, Dante still reclined in his desk chair with his feet propped up.

"Eh, slow day. Plus, you know, the huge shark thing."

The missile launcher thudded softly on the pool table as Lady set it down and adjusted her holsters so it would be more comfortable to sit.

"You mean it really threw you for a loop?"

"Hell no." He responded instantly.

"It was just kind of strange to see something that huge, that _powerful_, and for it to have come out of nowhere. We've had plenty of demon attacks lately, but none of them were that powerful. You usually get some kind of indication that a higher-level demon is coming; little runts running their mouths and such. Well, when they _have _mouths anyway."

The newcomer looked about and saw that Diva wasn't reclined on Vergil as she usually was. They still shared the same couch, but things felt a bit different between them. It had been a couple days since the run-in with the Megaladon at the harbor, but whatever had happened between them apparently wasn't fully gone yet.

"So you're thinking that maybe there's something else going on?"

Dante scratched his head.

"I don't know. Thinking back on it, the thing didn't feel 'demonish' to me."

One of Lady's eyebrows rose.

"Demonish?"

"Shut up. I mean the shark seemed more normal."

"Normal? It was bigger than a damn beluga whale, had glowing red eyes, and wasn't affected by gunfire."

Dante finally pulled his feet from the desk and sat up straight.

"Remember that chiropteran you ran into; the one that seemed different than the others?"

It was kind of hard to forget, but she acknowledged his question.

"Maybe there's some kind of demonic virus or whatever going around, mutating things in the area. Could explain how those two events happened when we didn't see any signs of them coming."

"They _did _feel different to me." Saya spoke, chirping up from her silence.

"I can't explain it, but they _did _feel unnatural. How about you, Diva?"

The girl remained silent for a few moments before quietly saying that she'd felt the same way.

"So maybe it's some kind of demonic chemical warfare?" Lady asked no one in particular. Her question was met with a grumble by Dante, who rose from his chair fully.

"What the hell's going on in this world? I remember the days when fighting demons off was as simple as taking down a horde of them or closing some portal. But now they're going all World War One on us."

Vergil seemed to linger in thought for a while before speaking up what he thought the cause might be.

"Ritorno could be in charge of the demon world now."

His sentence was enough to shake the staleness from the air as everyone heard him.

"He's alive? Why the hell didn't you mention that before?" Dante spoke in a raised voice, though he seemed more irritated that his brother had remained silent than intimidated by the man's return.

"It's quite possible that he isn't. After Terrence got those powers he defeated Ritorno quickly and struck him out of the tower's wall. I couldn't tell what happened after that. I assumed he was dead."

"Diva, did you see him?" Saya asked her twin.

"No. I came down after Terrence. I knew he was back, but I thought he died after the Marionette was destroyed."

The group hadn't forgotten what Ritorno did last time, but it would be strange for him to still be in the demon world. If anything, it was likely he would go to see Enzeru. After all, bringing his brother back had been the man's ultimate goal.

"Hey, now that I think about it, if Ritorno is Enzeru's brother then you have like a super-great evil uncle, Lady." Dante spoke.

She sighed and told him this wasn't the right time.

"Well either way, there isn't much to worry about. I mean, if he doesn't have his overpowered sword and Terrence can kill him easier than stepping on an ant then-"

"We can't leave it to that." Vergil interrupted his brother.

"There's no way of knowing whether or not he really _does _have some kind of demonic virus. And if that's the case then it might be capable of infecting _us _by the time it's completed."

It was an unsettling prospect, and Vergil was right; they couldn't just sit around waiting to see if such a thing were true.

"Either way, Ritorno seemed to know something about what's going on. If he _is _still alive then maybe we could get a few answers out of him."

"Just one problem; how the hell do we _find _him? I don't know if you remember, but the demon world isn't exactly two blocks down the street. Plus, we don't even know if he's still _there_." Dante retorted.

"Then we ask Enzeru."

It didn't take long for the group to agree that it was the most likely way to find Ritorno. After all, even if they didn't share some kind of twin-like mental bond, he was still the only person in the area that knew about spells. Despite having lost most of his powers, he could probably still put some kind of locator spell together.

"But if he _is _still out there, we shouldn't all go to Enzeru's. I don't want to come home and find my shop trashed _again_." Dante spoke.

"About half of us should stay here." Vergil agreed.

"Well I'm going. He might be weird but Enzeru is still my family. Plus I don't know how much good I would be against a psychotic demon-enhanced superman." Lady spoke.

"Haji and I will stay here." Saya added.

"I'm driving." Dante furthered.

Vergil and Diva looked at each other. To everyone's surprise they actually seemed to be silently deciding which one should stay behind. Ultimately Saya told them it was alright, and that she and Haji would be enough. With that the departing group lightly armed themselves and then got into Dante's car to leave.

They drove their usual route towards the flamboyant man's estate. As they did it was made evident to them that people in the surrounding areas were finally starting to move back in en masse. It never ceased to surprise the group of demon hunters how many people jumped on the opportunity to move here. It was as if they had signed up for employee positions at Useless Cannon Fodder Inc.

Still, the dirtier parts of town seemed more or less uninhabited. It made sense considering people didn't usually move into a new city with the intent of living in poverty. There were a few houses with lights on, and several others without power but which still seemed to be inhabited.

Their trip was uneventful and demonless. No crazy people began shouting at them. No buildings were blown apart, sending dangerous rubble plummeting down. In fact, they didn't even hit a red light. It was quite a pleasant ride. Well, aside from the distance between Diva and Vergil.

Despite the situation, Vergil tried to pay attention to the houses and the sidewalks. There was nothing to be said between Diva and he, as there was really no way to prove who was right about Terrence. And until that matter was resolved it was likely they would be as they were.

A particular building passed by as Dante drove down the street, and Vergil saw movement within. Such a thing wasn't strange, considering there were several homeless people about the area already. However, he recalled the building from a time earlier on in the year when they had come across it; Enzeru had cleared out a nest of demons within before their arrival.

"Dante, stop the car."

His brother didn't waste time doing so while asking why.

"That building, the one where Enzeru told us that something was coming. I saw something moving inside."

"So?"

"I just want to check it out."

"Fine, you got five minutes."

Vergil didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop before exiting. He made sure to bring Yamato with him and noticed that Diva wasn't following. It didn't surprise him, but it was still a bit painful that she seemed so detached.

The half-demon shook it off and entered through the broken entranceway. If it was possible, the interior appeared to be in worse shape than _before_. Still, he didn't see any signs of life within. He decided to start in the room they had first seen Enzeru when a sword thrust out from behind a corner at him. His reflexes drew the young man's head back as Yamato was drawn and slashed through both the air and the wall. He didn't feel it go through anything else and, as he heard a few bounding steps up some nearby stairs, Vergil understood why.

_"Well, at least my investigation wasn't a dead end." _Vergil thought while following the sounds through the unfamiliar building.

When reaching the top of the steps he was met with a large old-fashioned desk being thrown his way. He bisected it with Yamato and didn't even break stride as the hardwood pieces crushed the floor and wall behind him. A loud crash was heard up ahead, and he saw plaster falling from a hole in the ceiling. A list of scenarios went through his head before the silver-haired man ducked down just in time to avoid having a sword thrust through his head. The weapon withdrew from the ceiling and he scowled.

_"It has to be him. No one else is that cheap." _

It was just Ritorno's fighting style to use distractions in order to get in a sucker punch or a cheap stab. It went along with the perks of his previous weapon.

Vergil cut a large gash in the ceiling and leapt up through the falling dust and debris. But before even setting down on the floor above, a sword swung down on him which he had to block. As the cloudy air finally thinned out a bit he saw that it was, in fact, Ritorno.

"Well, now, imagine running into you in a place like this."

"Save it, Ritorno. We need to talk."

"Ha!"

His enemy pushed him back through the air and dove towards his legs, swinging at them. Vergil placed Yamato between the two objects and avoided being maimed before the two landed on the other side of the hole.

"What makes you think I've any interest in talking to you?"

"I don't really care _what _your interest is. But the fact is that you're the best lead we've got as to what's going on around here."

"Oh? Did the world not turn back into candy once you killed the big bad wolf?"

Once more they clashed swords, though this time Vergil loosened his grip on Yamato and stepped past his opponent's guard so he could strike Ritorno's sword downwards. He held the blades together, trying to bide as much time as he could.

"There isn't any time for your psychotic games. The person who cut you into cutlets before kicking you off the tower is here in the human world, and I want to know what you know about him."

The memory of being defeated so easily brought down Ritorno's elated mood and he freed a hand from Vergil's grip to swing at him before backing away.

"What do you think I am? The oracle of plot devices? I don't know the brat's life story, I just know that he got the upper hand of that weak little demon and took those powers for himself."

Down below the opponents could hear someone entering the building. From the sound of the steps and the person's shoes, it sounded like Diva. Vergil was relieved that her feelings still prompted her to help him, but it would be more difficult to interrogate Ritorno with her around.

_"What- damnit!" _He cursed in his head as he realized Ritorno had made off towards the roof.

_"You're not getting away… __**not until I've gotten some answers**__."_

Vergil's transformed body thrust itself up through the remaining stories of the building, passing through the rotting wood and plaster with ease. When he no longer felt a roof above him, Vergil allowed himself to fall back down to earth, landing on the rooftop. As luck would have it, he arrived just before Ritorno had made it up the stairs. Despite his strength, the man seemed at least a bit intimidated at the sight of a transformed Vergil.

**"Like I said, I have some questions for you. And you're going to answer them whether you like it or not." **

"…you think because your skin's made of genuine leather that you'll be able to kill me?" Ritorno tried to taunt him.

**"It worked on Enzeru."**

His suspicions of Ritorno being the weaker brother were confirmed when he seemed more intimidated. Still, it was to Vergil's fortune that the man didn't know that he had been a different person during the fight with Enzeru.

"And you think that reminding me of that is going to get me to spill my guts, do you?"

**"You're a coward, Ritorno. You try to hide it behind strength, but you're afraid of death. If I find out that you're just some demon running around having fun, you're free to do as you wish. But if you're the one behind this demonic virus, or you know who is…"**

He drew down into an Iajutsu stance.

Ritorno scowled at him and Vergil supposed a 'warning shot' was in order. His left arm would do. With unparalleled grace and speed he drove forward and pulled Yamato from its sheath, using his momentum to slash faster than his enemy could react. However, when it finally struck something it was a sword, and not Ritorno's. To both men's surprise, Terrence now stood between them, blocking Vergil's attack. Using the opportunity, Ritorno leapt off the building to another one and continued darting from roof to roof before dropping down out of sight. Hatred replaced Vergil's surprise.

**"What the hell did you do? I was trying to get answers from him!"**

Despite Vergil's increased powers, Terrence didn't seem intimidated.

"Enzeru theorized that some manner of virus is being concocted by the demons as well. If you're right about Ritorno knowing something, he will be able to answer questions better while he has lungs."

**"I am well-versed in the art of interrogating demons! Don't think you know more than me just because you got juiced up! Now get out of my way!"**

"Juicing is a reference to taking anabolic steroids, right? If that's the case wouldn't your overbearing anger and aggression make you more akin to that description?"

**"I said get out of my way, boy!" **He shouted again before pushing Terrence back and off-balance. It was the first time the young man showed any signs of surprise, and it might have been the demon blood, but Vergil rather enjoyed it. However, before the situation could progress any further the two were interrupted.

"Stop! Both of you!"

Vergil felt himself fall out of Devil Trigger at Diva's shout, though Terrence merely regained his composure. She seemed relieved that they hadn't continued with the confrontation but as Terrence sheathed his sword he began walking to the edge of the building.

"Enzeru doesn't know Ritorno's movements, but as evidenced he will come to his brother eventually. We will be waiting for him when he does. That's all you need to know."

As the girl turned to speak to him he was already gone. She gave a rare sigh and turned back towards Vergil. He was still holding Yamato.

"Are you going to use that against me as well?" She asked him, sounding more vulnerable than most would ever hear.

His anger dissipated and he sheathed his sword and began to put his hair back up- Diva looked down at the ground and he noticed how much the transformation had drawn him back into his old habits. Vergil allowed his hair to fall back down and he walked over to her.

"Diva, I'm sorry."

But when he tried to hug her she backed away.

"So am I." She said before stepping to the edge of the roof and dropping to the street below. She, Dante and Lady could be heard speaking as he stood on the rooftop alone. He felt a hand transform for a moment before he willed it to return to normal and descended as well.


	29. Reality's Poison

The car was void of conversation as Dante pulled back into the shop's parking lot. Within the building itself Saya could be seen checking to make sure it was them. The demon-hunter brought the old sports car into a smooth turn towards the remains of the garage and ran over the broken door. With that he parked and turned the vehicle off.

Lady exited the car and closed the door. She was more than a little flustered with the way things were going. To start with, the trip had been pointless; they made it halfway there only to have Vergil encounter their target who then got away with the aid of someone who was likely more powerful than any one of them. And while Terrence was still technically considered an ally the teenager was more like a sovereign nation that was allied with their own country. He assisted them when he saw fit and opposed them on a whim as well. Finally, he had informed Vergil and Diva that there was no need to ask Enzeru about Ritorno's whereabouts, as he did not know. Further, when the psychotic man _did _show up he was supposedly "covered". All of this led to their return to Devil May Cry with little more than which they had left and _nothing _that was particularly helpful.

_"So we're supposed to just wait here for everything to happen… the hell with that. I almost developed a permanent nervous twitch the last time I had to wait for the others to go 'save the day'." _Lady thought.

Everyone else exited the car and closed their doors. Diva didn't wait for Vergil before heading towards the shop doors. Whatever had happened between them after the confrontation with the monster shark was even worse now. It seemed that their differing opinions over Terrence were more important to them than getting along, which was a surprise.

_"I don't get how it could be such a deep-seated issue with them, though; this Terrence kid has only been around for a few months, and yet he's so important to them. Why?"_

She'd never liked him to begin with. Anyone who was more morally androgynous than Dante was too untrustworthy in her book. Well, except perhaps Enzeru. But he was her _family_ to some extent. No one was really close to the most recent additions to the local demon-hunter lineup, and they certainly weren't as endearing as the quirky Enzeru.

The remaining three people by the car entered the shop at the same time and Dante informed her that their trip had been a bust.

"Why is that?" She asked, sounding serious. Her demeanor was most likely due to Diva's premature entry and the fact that her sister had apparently already left the room.

"The short version? It's 'all handled'" He spoke, trying to imitate Terrence even though he hadn't actually heard the teenager say it in person.

"On the way there we ran into Ritorno. When Vergil was interrogating him, Terrence stopped him and let him get away. I guess they had a confrontation after that which Diva had to break up. The kid said that Ritorno would come to Enzeru sooner or later and that they would be ready when he showed up. So we came back here." Lady explained more thoroughly.

Dante sat himself down behind his desk and sighed in boredom.

Their weaponry found its way back to where it belonged except for the handgun Lady always kept with her just in case. Then those who remained standing situated themselves on the couches. They tried to maintain some manner of interesting conversation, and even eventually played a game of pool, though Saya didn't really know how. Dante turned the jukebox on and played some rock tunes no one else really knew. They found some good ones, but eventually switched over to a more noir-like blues tune.

Vergil seemed agitated; like he had a sunburn on his body that was past pain but still uncomfortable. Lady gave him about five minutes before he went up to his room, presumably to speak with Diva. He lasted six, and then vanished into the back. As he walked out of sight she noticed that Dante had a somber look on his face.

"What? I thought you tried to stay out of people's business."

He glanced at her and then looked away. It was uncommon for him to not respond with something simple like "shut up".

"What they've got always seemed like something special. Even before Vergil had 'smoothed out' for her, I'd never seen him seem so at peace before. And from what I've learned of Diva, it's safe to say she's been in the best place _she's _ever been in as _well_. It was kind of like that thing in a movie; you know, the ones where they say 'to hell with reason and reality; we've got love and that's all that matters'. I've never seen that before, not something that stayed that way, at least. I guess seeing it as more of a normal romance now just kind of puts me in a bad mood."

"For Vergil? Or because it makes you think that it just never works out?" Lady asked.

He gazed down at a glass, drained of beer. All that was left were ice cubes.

"It reminds me that nothing lasts forever. Pretty much as simple as that. Childish, maybe, but even I have my moments of immaturity; believe it or not."

The song changed to a jazz piece, and the atmosphere was gone. Dante challenged all comers to another game of pool, and Lady accepted. After all, it wasn't the first time there had been a somber moment amongst them, and it wouldn't be the last.

* * *

Vergil entered their room to find Diva sitting at the window, gazing out at the sky. Were it anyone else it might seem cliché but somehow Diva made everything seem original. It wasn't a bad night for stargazing either; the sky was mostly clear. Ironically, one of the only clouds that remained was covering the left side of the moon, so it was difficult to see if the celestial body was full or merely waxing.

"I used to keep myself up late to watch the moon." She spoke before he'd even drawn close.

"Seeing it change through the nights was about the only fun thing I could do while locked in my tower."

"I knew you liked the moon, but I didn't know that was the reason." He responded, not moving forward.

"I also looked at it the night Saya decided she hated and wanted to kill me. As well as the time you left me and when I thought you'd died."

He sighed and walked closer.

"So that means you feel like you did then?"

Diva shook her head lightly but didn't turn towards him.

"No. I just don't understand what is happening; why you and I seem so far apart. It isn't the same as the other times, but I still feel… bad."

"We don't agree on a topic that is important to both of us. And neither of us are the kind of person to just give up on our point of view." Vergil told her.

He could hear Diva purr like she usually did when something amused her.

"Always so perceptive. I suppose it's less that I don't understand it and more that I wish we could get past it; that it wouldn't do anything to _us_."

Vergil finally decided to approach her and hugged her from behind.

"I do, too. That's one of the main reasons this whole situation is bothering me; it _shouldn't_ affect us. That our differences of opinion can cause such a big problem just in this one case doesn't make sense."

"Do you mean someone is doing this to us?"

He knew Diva didn't understand that sometimes people can have power over you just by being who they are. It didn't have to be an obvious threat or mind control. He knew there was something about Terrence that made this situation more significant than just their difference opinions on how to deal with people who could be misunderstood. He knew that Diva couldn't have simply fallen for the kid because of his immense powers, but he didn't buy that she was under some manner of spell _either_.

"I mean that you and I have something in us, something that is telling us that we need to stand up for what we believe in. But we don't believe the same thing. And because of how determined the two of us can be, it's like two bulls locking horns. It doesn't matter why they can't get out of the headlock, they simply feel they have to push on."

Diva placed a hand on his arm, pulling it tighter onto her.

"You mean how we feel about Terrence."

He wanted to sigh, but didn't.

_"It looks like this is the time to settle things." _He thought.

"Yes. I believe that the people we have become based on our pasts has lead us to see an issue from two different angles."

Diva didn't hold in her sigh.

"But Vergil, you're the only one that sees him as an issue."

Vergil let out the breath he'd been holding and drew out of the hug.

"Diva, I've seen the look in the boy's eyes. I know it. I saw it virtually every year of my life for a decade. He doesn't care about misunderstandings or misbegotten families, he just wants more power."

"But that _wasn't _what you wanted. You only wanted more power so that you could protect yourself. You weren't like that before-"

"What has happened in our pasts is in our pasts, Diva. I know what you're saying, and yes, that was a poor example. But I'm just telling you, I have a bad feeling about this."

The girl looked down at her lap and her body tightened.

"And if you're wrong you will have condemned a boy for simply being different."

"And if I'm right, I could save the lives of you, myself, and everyone else we know. I know this matter is important to you, but I would rather execute an innocent than stand by when I felt the person was a genuine threat."

In the few moments that followed his statement, Vergil felt the air in the room change. It was as if the air conditioner were running on full blast and it was spraying microscopic amounts of dust into the air. His skin felt brittle.

"You _would_." Diva spoke with the most bitter tone he'd ever heard her use. Vergil felt like the cold air tore off both his clothes and his skin. He felt like he had the night his mother protected Dante but not him.

"You always do what you think is best and don't consider how I think or feel. Then when you come back I try and let it go, thinking you might have learned something. Then something else happens and you leave me behind again while claiming it's to help me."

"Diva…"

"Vergil…"

Diva turned around to face him, and he couldn't tell if she had a look of despair or simply a vacant expression. Whatever it was, he was just as new to it as he was her tone.

"Tell me the truth; did you let me get raped?"

He fell back. His feet caught him before he could so much as stumble, but Vergil literally lost his feet. For her to honestly believe that he would allow such a thing to happen to her...

"Did you allow me to sacrifice myself for the others to get away? Did you allow me to be tortured by the people I was only fighting because I thought they killed you? Did you allow me to get stabbed by that man who taunted me with your death?"

"Diva, I wouldn-"

"Did you allow all of those things to happen to me, and still think you knew better?"

Vergil didn't know if it was possible to have a heart attack based on the shear rate that one's heart was beating, but he felt he was about to find out as Diva's words pulled the only guilt he'd had from the depths of his mind.

"When you abandoned me that night, did you really think of nothing other than what was more rational?"

Vergil felt like an elephant shot with a rifle. He wasn't dying, and he hadn't really lost any life force. But his entire body felt tired, as if he had been stricken of all his strength. He was both empty and possessed of a heavy weight at the same time, and the only thing that made him remember his skin was really attached was the cold sweat pushing out from every pore.

His mouth felt dry and glued shut, though it was actually agape. And he was vaguely aware that his body was making its way through the hall. He didn't even know how it left the room, and as he felt gravity alter, Vergil realized he was going down the stairs. Every strike the steps seemed to score on his body hurt more than he would have imagined and, by the time he landed on the floor below, he wondered if his demonic abilities had left him.

Feet came towards him, running, but he couldn't connect them to any manner of event. All that translated was the bass-tone of the heavier footsteps and the treble-pitch of the lighter ones vibrating through the floor. Strong arms lifted him up to a shoulder, and he saw red. Then his body was held as his feet dragged across the floor. When his body was eventually let down into the couch he finally realized something was happening. But it wasn't until he heard Dante's strained voice that his mind returned to reality.

"Huh?" He asked.

"What. The hell. Happened to you?" Dante asked in his normal tone.

"Oh… well, it's complicated."

Dante sighed and looked as if he was going to go for a punch, but then let his hand fall.

"Alright, are you okay?"

"No."

"What's wrong?"

He felt his mind wandering off again.

"Vergil! Get your head straight! If something is wrong, you need to be able to at least tell me what the problem is." Dante told him. His tone reminded the elder brother of the words they had traded at the top of the demonic waterfall. It also led him back to his mind, and reminded the half-demon that he couldn't wallow in guilt. Nothing would come of it.

"It's nothing for you to worry about. Diva and I… there are some things we need to address. But I don't know how to."

"Alright, but it's nothing serious." Dante spoke, glad that he wasn't in physical danger.

"No, Dante. It _is _serious."

Dante shook his head as footsteps ran back down the stairs and over to the couch.

"Diva isn't there." Saya told them.

"Look, she's probably just out for a walk-" Dante offered.

"I'm going after her. Haji." Saya spoke, already heading towards the door.

All the while Vergil muttered to himself and wondered what could be done. He felt his mind slipping again. Dante was struggling to keep Vergil and Saya focused, but didn't seem capable of doing anything but watching them lose track of themselves and simply go where their feelings told them to. Then, when Saya and Haji were gone, he summed up the general tone of what Vergil's musings had been on; "What the hell is going on?"


	30. Mistake

It was cold outside. Colder than she was used to. It was amazing how great a change in one's personal climate one could feel when they had to walk alone.

Diva had seen Vergil drift out of the room as if he were a ghost, heard him fall down the stairs. And then she felt something pulling her out of the window as if possessed by the same spirit. Before she knew it, her bare feet were walking on the sidewalk. Diva's soft soles reacted with pain when faced with the bitter cold of the sidewalk's concrete. Then again, she was so enveloped in her thoughts, it was hard to notice.

_"Why did I say those things? Why couldn't he answer? Why do we have to hurt each other?" _

Such naïve questions wandered through her head like a progression of musical notes that kept repeating. Yet the more she went over the melody, the less Diva felt she knew it. If someone had told her one plus one was black, she might have simply taken the answer for granted. It wasn't until she felt another person nearby that Diva's senses returned to her.

Surprisingly enough, she had found her way into a familiar area. And the girl found herself wondering just how long she had been walking to have made it so far. For that matter, had she climbed Enzeru's walls, or had he simply failed to repair a section? Regardless, Diva was outside the building everyone had eaten in the morning after their successful defense of Enzeru's "fortress". Similarly, she noted another element that had been present.

Terrence looked different. While the young man seemed to be more or less the same, she found his presence nevertheless of a different nature than before. She knew that his increased powers would give him some manner of aura about him, but what she was seeing was different. The girl couldn't quite put a description on what she had observed.

"I'm sorry for showing up here. I didn't mean to."

He said nothing for a few moments, and then took a step in her general direction, though it wasn't towards her.

"Why apologize? I don't own this place anymore than you do."

Thinking on it, Diva didn't know why she _had _apologized. Such things had simply become habit after living in the human world for a while.

"I guess I just never thought about it. I have been thinking more like a human for a while now, I suppose."

Terrence shrugged and took a few more steps, coming out from beneath a tree. The moonlight seemed to find its way down to him, and she saw that the boy no longer was wearing his weapons. She didn't know if that was because he was trying to relax, or if he simply didn't feel he needed a weapon anymore. Given the abilities he had demonstrated, such a decision wouldn't be particularly unfounded.

"Humans bore me, to be honest. Ever since I went beyond their world I felt their laws and other distinctions to be rather… trivial."

Diva thought back to how she had been before meeting Vergil. It was amazing to see how far she had come since then, but she found herself wondering if that was really a good thing, or if it didn't matter at all.

"It's difficult trying to understand humans when you aren't one. Though you at least had a background in it. For me it was akin to learning Chinese upside down and shown in a broken mirror."

Terrence almost seemed like he was going to smile for a moment.

"You can be quite descriptive when you need to be."

"I suppose I got that from…"

Diva felt her temporary levity dissipating.

"You really love him, don't you?" The apathetic teenager asked her.

"I…"

Diva realized she couldn't answer right away, and she felt her world tremble. The girl knew she loved him, so why couldn't she say so? Had the feelings that welled up in her tonight really led to such a radical change of who she was?

The chiropteran queen felt dizzy for a moment, and then a hand was placed on her shoulder. Before she knew it, a chair seemed to be beneath her. It took some head shaking for the raven-haired girl to realize she was in a room.

"How did I get here?"

"I brought you here." Terrence responded, taking off his coat and putting it on a rack as he got his own chair.

"Enzeru might have had some immense power beforehand, but he has lost a lot of that since our trip to the demon world. And, considering he's about as tight-fisted as that guy from Gran Torino, only a few buildings on his property are actually heated."

"So this is your room? Wait, what's a Grand Tostito?"

While Terrence didn't smile, he let out a sound that was vaguely akin to a laugh.

"It's a movie. And yes. Normally Anthony sleeps in here as well, but we do have our own rooms."

Diva felt herself welling up with a warm feeling, as if nostalgia were hitting her just thinking about their brotherly bond. She wished such a thing had been the case for her. If someone had raised Saya and she together, their lives would have been very different.

"It must be wonderful having someone to grow up with that you know you can rely on."

"To be honest, Anthony has always relied on me more than I did him. But there is a bond between twins that you can't deny."

A trace of humor welled in Diva's stomach, and she almost laughed.

"I know what you mean."

"So, what do you believe the reason is that your feet brought you here? It's a bit against the odds that they would just happen to lead you to a location you've barely ever been to." He asked, facing her in his chair.

Diva didn't need to think on it long to realize it was probably the "twin" factor Terrence had brought up, along with the facet that they were misunderstood. The starting topic of her and Vergil's argument peaked its head in her mind as well.

"I guessed I just missed you-" Diva was surprised to see that her breath had failed her on "two". She finished up the sentence quick, but Terrence's blank gaze didn't help her nerves.

"Really? I didn't know that we had grown so much on you."

The emphasis he placed on 'we' made the girl blush, though she didn't know why the mistake had left her feeling so flustered.

"Well, there are some things going on back at Dante's. Things that made me think about you both."

"You mean Vergil still thinks I'm going to go postal?"

She felt both tired and confused at the combination of Vergil's position on the matter and Terrence's use of modern slang.

"Postal means going crazy. To be honest, I don't argue with what he said about getting used to my new powers. They _are _pretty difficult to control. Still, if you were all in serious danger every time someone went through growing pains, wouldn't you be dead by now?"

Diva didn't quite understand what he meant, nor did she remember the teenager overhearing Vergil's thoughts on the matter before.

"To be honest, I've suspected for a while now that there was some manner of conspiracy against me. When people go from being at the top of the food chain to going down a few links, they usually tend to hold a grudge against those responsible."

Diva felt the intellectual talk draining her already-taxed mental power. It had been a long day, and night.

"But you…" He spoke, now standing in front of her. She smelled something. Rather, the girl sensed it. Like a room filled with odorless gas, thick enough to feel on your skin.

"You actually thought enough to give Anthony and myself the benefit of the doubt."

"I did?" She asked, confused and light-headed.

"Enzeru is wrapped up in the matter concerning his brother. His great grand niece is probably putting up a family tree on her wall. Meanwhile the half-demon brothers are just looking for some more demons to kill, whether they're true demons or not. Your sister is a tool, that's easy enough to tell. But _you_, you're different. And in a world where people are extremely predictable, I find that very… interesting."

The air seemed to be getting warmer. Had it been cold before? Diva couldn't tell, but she felt her light-headedness fuse into something else. Something she had grown unfamiliar with.

"And you seem to be defending me every time I'm brought up as a matter of concern, without every bringing Anthony into the discussion."

It wasn't until now that Diva realized Terrence was beside her.

"So my question is; did you really come here to see us? Or just to see me?"

"I…"

"And if you came here for me, what did you come here _for_?"

Diva's mind was blank, and she knew where she'd felt this way before; with Riku, that night on the yacht. The night a boy had unwittingly impregnated her, the night her blood had lost its ability to kill Saya. The night that essentially led them up to this point.

Her mind was blank, and Diva only knew what she had felt back then. Terrence leaned forward, and her senses came back. But only the physical ones. And as they moved towards the bed, the vaguest semblance of a thought passed through her mind; the smell, it was pheromones.

* * *

Vergil had waited for several hours with Dante, hoping and yet not hoping that Diva would walk in through the office doors. Eventually his mind had settled itself on the determination that he had to get past his guilt; Diva had to know the truth of why the man who loved her did what he did. And why he did it without thinking about what she wanted.

Saya had returned just a few minutes ago to see if Diva had as well. And when she found out her sister's whereabouts were still unknown, the girl had started to head back out the door. However, Dante's tone when he spoke to her halted the girl.

"Will you stop running around like a chicken with its head cut off for once?" He spoke like a parent scolding their child.

"Diva is a strong girl, and she needs to figure things out. Now I don't know her as well as any of the three of you do, but I know that at least you and Haji have been in the human world a long time. And you can't always fix someone else's problems for them. So maybe what we need to do is just give the girl some space."

Dante's words were hard for Saya to hear. But everyone understood that Diva, despite being the newest one to the human world in regards to its train of thought, had adapted comparatively quickly. She also wasn't a child, and it was the duty of her sister to let the girl figure things out on her own if that was what she wanted to do.

Ultimately, the girl sighed and asked Dante if one of his famous lectures was finished.

"So long as you got the point, then yeah." He responded with a grin.

Even Vergil found himself smiling again as the phone on Dante's desk rang. The moment was partially ruined, and Dante muttered to himself that he had to set the thing on silent after midnight. Lady was the closest person to the phone and elected to go and pick it up.

"Hello, Devil May Cry- oh, hey. Huh? Really? That's odd."

Lady put the receiver to her shoulder and told everyone that Enzeru had seen Diva headed towards his property while on the way home from a grocery store.

"Where the hell does he get his groceries? Fantasia-are-us?" Dante asked.

"No idea. But he said he saw her walking. He was going to give her a ride but I guess she was in pretty deep thought so he didn't want to bother her."

Vergil found himself wondering why she had been heading in that direction. Nothing important happened there, aside from their huge battle with the Marionette's demon army. What could be there that she had wanted to see so much?

"Is he back yet? Does he know where she ended up?" Dante asked.

"Apparently he hasn't seen her yet. All he knows is that she's in the same building the twins are staying in."

The half-demon couldn't believe the thought hadn't occurred to him, and he mentally slapped himself.

_"Of course she would go there. Terrence is where we started, so it makes sense that she would end up going to him to see which one of us was right. Or maybe it's something else."_

"Let's go."

What had become Vergil's audience showed confusion as his order.

"Did you not _hear _my inspiring realism speech a minute ago?" Dante responded.

"I did. And that's why we need to go. I want to straighten this all out. Diva doesn't need to decide things on her own, because she's not alone."

He pushed himself up from the couch, invigorated by some manner of clarity.

"This whole sitcom drama thing is over."

* * *

When Diva's mind came back she felt hot and wet. Such a thing wasn't much of a surprise, considering what her body had done while her mind was on vacation. But considering she hadn't taken part in mating in a while, she found it rather bracing. This was, of course, before she remembered everything that had led up to her and Terrence's little romp. Then the guilt hit her like several tons of bricks. In the midst of her turmoil, Diva finally thought to look for Terrence, as she didn't feel him on the bed. Holding the blankets to her chest, she sat up, seeing the teenager standing by an open window. The cold air blew in, and she shivered. He took notice of it, but then gazed back out the window.

Diva wanted to say something, but she couldn't put her feelings into words. She didn't want to let down the boy's feelings, but at the same time didn't know how to describe why she had slept with him in the first place. When the girl ultimately managed to speak his name, her voice was interrupted.

"You said you've been around for a long time, right? I believe it. It might just be whatever species you come from, but you're voracious."

The girl didn't know whether to be embarrassed or mortified, but figured that the subject might help their conversation along until she could work in why she did what she did.

"It's been almost five years now since the last time… I hope it wasn't too much for your first time."

Diva saw a semblance of a grin pass across his face as he turned away from the window.

"Oh, it wasn't. Back when I used to be able to control myself, I could manage it with humans without tearing the room apart. But truth be told, I've managed to fit a considerable amount of practice in my short lifetime."

Diva pulled the blankets over her more as the cold from the window fully spilled into the room.

"I see. You're rather industrious for such a young boy."

"I'm younger than I look, as well."

"What do you mean?"

Terrence, who had until now been wearing only pants, put his shirt back on as well. He disappeared, and then she heard his nightstand open before a paper was put in front of her.

"The last of the documentation I have about us. Not much of a birth certificate, but it's something."

Diva combed over the "certificate" and recognized it as some manner of scientific form. She recalled such documents from the days when she would pop in on Amshel's study.

_"Sample D01… origin; New York…. Year acquired…"_

She didn't quite understand what the various classifications meant until Terrence elaborated.

"Did you really buy into that back story of ours? I came up with that based on my knowledge of movies, books, and TV shows. No, we're just lab-freaks. Experimented on like you were. But, you have to admit…"

Diva saw the _place _of origin within New York that the "samples" had been retrieved, and she felt nauseous.

"I'm not bad for a four-year old creature spawned from an ancient bat-woman."


	31. Relations

"You mean you're my-"

"To be honest, I had absolutely no idea beforehand. It was that little weakling with the mask that opened my eyes."

Diva's eyes began to water, and she realized she hadn't blank for several minutes now.

"And Anthony, too?"

Terrence gave the first grin Diva had ever seen from him, though it lasted only a second.

"Of course, he's my twin. We're born in pairs, right?"

"But I had daughters."

"You did, huh? Strange. Then again, there are multiple differences between us and you two. Maybe it's because of the experiments. All that could be done to you was with scalpels and tweezers. The knowledge and tools of modern-day scientists are quite more advanced. Considering the resilience of our species, I wouldn't be surprised if they kept us irradiated for the first year or so. Not to mention the accelerated aging."

Diva shook her head.

"I don't understand." She said, more to herself than to Terrence.

"It's simple enough. You had infants. You died. Your infants were taken and experimented on until they escaped. They ended up in the same place as you, and you just slept with one."

Despite having never been raised in any manner of family structure, Diva still found herself growing nauseous at the realization she had just slept with one of her own children; a four year old one, no less.

"Then you're really my babies."

Diva looked up at Terrence and saw his apathetic gaze in a new light.

"Terrence, I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you."

"You should have? But you weren't."

"I know, I'm sorry. I thought you would be safe with Saya and I gone. And then when my blood didn't kill her-"

"That's right. Your blood is supposed to kill chiropterans of the other blood-type. I forgot about that. So then Saya's blood can still kill us?"

"Vergil's blood makes me immune to it, but I don't know about you. You and Anthony are special, I couldn't say."

Terrence finished buttoning up his shirt, but was surprised when Diva vanished, only to reappear in front of him and pull the boy in towards her.

"My son." She called, holding onto him as tightly as she could.

After her death several years before, she had completely forgotten about her babies. It wasn't simply an "out of sight out of mind" matter; the memory that she had birthed twins in the first place was lost on her. Ever since she met Vergil, it seemed that her life had just started over. But now she could tell him why Terrence and Anthony were different. What happened between her and Terrence was a terrible mistake, but no one else ever had to know of it.

"This is what you call 'love', right?"

She felt her heart skip, and Diva drew back enough to gaze at her son's face.

"I never understood why people insist on being so sentimental. Aside from instinct, what reason is there to care about someone other than yourself?"

"You're my son, Terrence. Instinct or not, I love you."

She saw no sign of recognition in his eyes, and Diva felt her heart tear slightly knowing Terrence had been subjected to the same soul-eating experimentation she had. But unlike her, he wouldn't have to go over a hundred years without knowing love from another. And his caring for Anthony would make it easier to transition the boy away from his current state.

Diva swallowed as she felt the air change, and began to smell the scent she had sensed before. But the girl was back at the bed, putting her dress on before the situation could escalate once more. She didn't blame Terrence for becoming aroused; after all, when one has no significant feelings, physical pleasures are all that are left.

"Terrence, I'm sorry about before. If I had known about you, I wouldn't have."

She felt the air change back to normal and only now realized how cold the room was. Terrence still hadn't closed the window.

"So if you're related to someone that means you're not supposed to mate with them." He stated with a monotone.

Diva pulled her dress on and turned to face him, saddened that he knew so little. It was nostalgic in a tragic sort of way, since she knew such a state of mind from personal experience. Then again, Saya was her sister, so she wouldn't have been attracted to her in the first place.

"Yes. It will take time for you to get used to it, but the human world isn't so bad. They don't make much sense, but the people around us make it bearable."

Terrence continued gazing at her, his expression unchanging.

"What is it, honey?"

"You're very different from what I saw before." He stated like she was a celebrity he had seen in a movie and later met in life.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw concert footage of you. After the marionette told me about your history, I went to the old estates of the Goldsmiths and found some 'home videos' of you as well."

Diva didn't know what he was talking about, though then again she never used to pay attention to what was going on around her when she was having fun. So it was possible Amshel or someone else had recorded her every now and then.

"To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed as to how you've turned out."

The girl frowned, hiding the blow Terrence's honesty had dealt her. Given that she hadn't been around for Terrence's whole life so far, she would have understood if he was angry with her for being absent. But for him to simply be disappointed in who she was in general wasn't something Diva had been expecting or was prepared for.

"Everything else I saw of you made it seem like you were different. Your mannerisms, attitude, everything. But as you are now, you act like a human."

Before their conversation could go any further, they heard a knock at the entrance to the building. Terrence and Anthony's little dormitory was only two stories tall, but the main reason they heard the knock was because of Terrence's open window.

"Your friends looking for you, I imagine." He stated before pulling his coat on.

"Why don't you come down with me? We can tell them together." She offered.

"I'll pass. I don't care what they know. Tell them if you want. I'm going out to get something to eat."

"Maybe Enzeru could make something-"

"Stop trying so hard. It's unsightly."

Diva gazed at her son's back as he walked to the window, and she felt like she was going to cry. It was something she rarely ever did. And even then it had always been around or concerning Vergil. For her son to continue judging her as sub-par was hitting Diva's normally easy-going self-esteem into shock.

"I'm sorry. Just be careful."

Terrence scoffed before stepping out the window and falling out of sight.

The girl stood completely still, her mind once again racing, before another knock sounded out below. She decided that at the very least, the others should know about her sons. It would be unfair to them to hold back such a matter, especially when it would become obvious soon enough.

Stepping out through the doorway, Diva noted that the hall that made up most of the second floor was really just a square landing around the area to which the stairs led. She saw another doorway on the other side of the stairs that she assumed was Anthony's room. But considering he hadn't shown up yet, it was doubtful the boy was around.

Diva descended the steps and walked straight to the door, ignoring what other features there were to observe about the first floor. For a moment her mind considered simply standing there and not answering, but the girl quickly grabbed the doorknob and turned it before such a thought could gain any real standing. She was immediately greeted by Vergil's comparatively tall frame, and she remembered the atmosphere they had last experienced together.

The only greeting she could initially manage was a smile. But it must have been a rather sad one, as she soon found herself in Vergil's arms. He asked her if she was alright, but Diva couldn't answer. She hugged him back, trying to convey how sorry she was for the words that had come out of her mouth earlier in the night. Ultimately, she decided it was time to put her emotions into an actual apology. But before she could, Vergil spoke up.

"I'm sure there are some things you want to tell me, but if I may, I would like to go first."

Though Diva gave no visible reaction, he could tell she approved.

"I know that I've always been selfish with my decision-making in that I did what I thought was best and left you out of the process. And I'm not going to defend the consequences of my actions. I just… don't really know how to allow someone else to make decisions with me. For almost my entire life I have been alone and fended for myself. Now that you're here, I don't know how to react. I know that you're strong, and I know that you're intelligent enough to help me. But it just doesn't pass through my mind to ask for your opinions because I still think like I'm acting alone. That doesn't mean, though, that I would ever allow any of those things to happen you. It wouldn't matter if it was part of a plan or not, I couldn't do such a thing."

He started another sentence, but she held him tighter and told him it was alright.

"I know you wouldn't let those things happen to me. I just… I was being mean. I didn't try to be, but that's all it was."

With her confession already rolling she decided to tell Vergil the rest.

"And I found out the reason talking about Terrence was making me so unreasonable. Though you might find it hard to believe."

Vergil's gaze remained unchanged.

"It's because he and Anthony are my sons."

His face was no longer set in stone. In fact, when Vergil's mouth opened slightly and she saw the surprise in his eyes, Diva gathered she would have to tell him a lot more about what was going on.

"Back in New York at the Metropolitan Opera House, where I died, I had babies with me. I'd had them with a chevalier of Saya's, and they were the only thing that mattered to me. Then, when I died, it was if my memory was swept clean. I no longer even remembered that they existed. And considering that Saya never mentioned them, I can only imagine something happened with her as well."

"But that only happened a few years ago. And aren't a queen's children always daughters?" Vergil added, obviously holding onto her words well enough to contribute.

"Yes… I had thought that as well. But my babies were taken soon after that night and were experimented on. Whatever was done to them, I can't imagine. I only barely know what happened myself. But when Terrence and Anthony managed to escape, they drifted. Then, after they arrived here, The Marionette told Terrence about me and my past."

Vergil took a few moments to soak in her words, but eventually he nodded and said that he understood.

"I suppose that makes sense. Their eyes glow like yours and Saya's do. Not to mention their abilities. And considering the environment they grew up in, as well as how quickly it would have happened, that makes it easier to understand their attitudes."

For the first time that night, Diva felt an actual smile coming onto her face.

"I still have my doubts about him, but at least now I know why things are the way they are. And if they're truly your children, I obviously won't do anything to them. So long as you don't try to move them into a crib in the corner of our room."

Vergil finished with a smile, and Diva hugged him again.

"Thank you, Vergil. I don't know what I would do without you."


	32. Contract Killer

"Bullshit. Bull. Shit."

"What, do you think I suddenly developed a terribly awkward sense of humor?"

"You always did. It takes a strange apple to find cutting people up into pieces amusing."

"Look, it's true, whether you believe it or not. So you can sit there on your leather-clad ass, or you can accept it. Your call. Not judging you. But just so you know, I was able to take it in on the first try."

The process of telling the others about the relationship between Diva and the twins had begun. So far, Dante was the primary rut in the road. But Vergil imagined he was just being difficult on purpose. Diva was still talking to Saya, who was asking herself how she could have forgotten about such an important matter. There had to be some manner of explanation as to how Saya could have forgotten about Diva's children. They had been abducted by some mysterious agency, not a bunch of demons, so it's not like there was some manner of spell that could have been cast on her.

"So then that's the reason she was so 'hell no' about any suspicion regarding Terrence? Makes sense, I guess; some weird chiropteran version of intuition."

Vergil shrugged and looked towards the stairs. Even though it made sense for Saya to be told separately from Dante so the conversations wouldn't overlap, Vergil still found himself wanting to be closer to Diva. He didn't know why, but she seemed disturbed to him. It was difficult to tell if that was just the natural baggage of the situation, or something extra. Either way, at least now the Terrence conflict had been resolved between them.

"Either way, Ritorno is still a threat. And considering how powerful that shark-demon was, we need to find out how this virus works. It's not a good idea to just wait for him to show up." Vergil said.

"I agree; it's too dangerous to hope that the clock won't run out before he shows up." Lady added.

Dante looked up at the ceiling and thought on the matter. Considering their argument, which was that there could be some kind of invisible clock ticking down to an epidemic, it made sense. Then again, the possibility of a virus in the first place was all just speculation.

"Damn, if we could just get our hands on that long-haired bastard, we would at least have a starting point." Dante finally responded, rubbing his head.

"Maybe we could just set up some manner of trap with Enzeru. I don't know how he'd feel about betraying his brother, but we're going to interrogate him first, either way." Vergil offered. It made more sense than scouring the area for him again, or just waiting for him to show up.

"Yeah, makes sense. But he's gonna have to come to _us _this time. I'm tired of these forays to his house where we never get there, result in some dramatic turn of events, or both." Dante announced before picking up the phone.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, it's kind of like an overused plot element. Once is alright, but after a few times you start thinking 'come on, really?'"

"But Ritorno isn't going to just come to Devil May Cry because Enzeru says so. He might already know that Enzeru is on our side. Maybe if we found him and then chased him back to Enzeru's property…" Vergil added.

Their strategizing was cut short as Diva and Saya came down the stairs. As expected, Saya seemed to be in a brooding mood now, but she would get over it. The sisters came and sat on Vergil's couch together. The matter of how the twins' existence could have simply vanished from their minds, as well as Haji's, was something to be dealt with once this business with Ritorno was finished.

* * *

It had been a while, and no one ever came after him. There was always the chance they were waiting for him to make a move, but that didn't make sense, given their numbers.

Ever since coming back to life, or becoming a demon, rather, Ritorno had been waiting for an opportunity to kill the Marionette. The thing was weak, tactic-wise. And all he would have needed was one good opening. But then that masked freak found its little golden-boy. Terrence was powerful; Ritorno had known that just by being around the kid. And that was part of the reason he hadn't liked the kid. With both opportunity and motivation to kill the Marionette, it had only been a matter of time.

_"To have been beaten so easily, and by a brat." _He thought, rising from the creaky chair he had occupied.

Public enemy number one had found some old office building a couple blocks away from where Vergil had found him. There wasn't anything to eat, but his half-demon nature sustained him, as well as his natural constitution. Still, his wound had only healed on the surface; he still felt weak.

_"If I can just get to Enzeru, I'll be fine."_

He didn't know where his brother lived, but had a general "feel" of which direction he needed to go to find him. The man would just have to hope that Devil May Cry wasn't between him and his destination.

Ritorno exited the building and moved quick. With the powers Terrence had absorbed, there was no way of knowing if he could sense other demons, or half demons. With that under consideration, haste was the best approach.

The streets swept by quickly, as he pushed himself as much as possible to remain as _fast _as possible. He could feel that he was moving in the right direction. Soon he came upon what looked like a desolated ruin. Ritorno realized that this must have been the site of the battle between the Marionette's army and the members of Devil May Cry.

_"How they managed to survive that- oh, that's how."_

Ritorno caught sight of a large walled-in property, and observed that it had yet to be fully repaired. What he found strange was, first, that such an old construct could remain, and second that it would be in what had once been the inner portion of a city.

_"Enzeru lives there. So then, why would the others- damn!"_

Ritorno reeled about, facing the person who had appeared behind him.

_"No one was following me! Did he just get here?!"_

The answer to the question was unimportant; there was no way to escape now. Not with nothing but ash and broken buildings in the surrounding area. Ritorno took in the sight of the young, dark-haired man, and remained silent.

"You came this way looking for your brother, correct?" Terrence asked him.

"What's it to you?"

"Apparently you didn't put it together; Enzeru is an ally of those who live at Devil May Cry."

"Ridiculous. After being killed by that bastard, and then him killing me?"

Terrence seemed bored, or at the very least, apathetic.

"I never claimed that it made any sense. I just presented you with a fact. That's not of any interest to me, anyway. What I want to know is what you were planning on doing once you found him. Heal yourself, of course, but beyond that."

To be honest, Ritorno hadn't actually developed a plan yet. Considering the wound he had received in the demon world, the energy it took to make it here, as well as being chased around by Vergil, he had become rather desperate.

"If Enzeru is working with those others, and you and your brother are affiliated with Enzeru, then why haven't you tried to kill me yet?"

"Tried?"

In an instant, Ritorno's world was split down the middle, reflecting itself. It took him a moment to realize that was simply Terrence's sword.

"There is no 'try' in a scenario where my aim is to kill you. The only reason we're having this conversation in the first place is because I have no such interest."

Fighting back his fear, he asked what the young man wanted then. Terrence lowered his sword and sheathed it.

"You remember Diva's sister, Saya?"

"What of her?"

"I want you to kill her."

Ritorno's eyes drew narrow and despite the fact it served him no purpose, he found himself on his guard.

"Why?"

"It's simple; her blood was once capable of killing any and all chiropterans on Diva's side of the species. I doubt that it would work on Anthony and I, considering how we were changed, but I want to make sure they could never develop something if they tried."

"How do you know that I won't just tell them what you told me? Or kill her and use her blood myself?"

"Three reasons; first, you aren't a scientist and couldn't produce anything useful. Second, you're too weak to beat me on your own. And third, no one likes you. The combination of those factors makes you no threat to me. Also, if you want to kill the ones that have consistently kept half of your family on the obituary list, you're going to need some help."

Ritorno got it now; Terrence was making a preemptive strike on his potential enemies' resources. What didn't make sense was that he would want to kill everyone, including Diva.

"But Diva is your mother. Why should I believe you want to kill everyone at Devil May Cry? I'm sure you think you could do it yourself."

"I never said that was what I wanted. All I'm trying to do is remove any and all threats to my existence; it's instinct. If you end up being useful then I might be willing to do you a favor. Maintaining a working relationship with one's asset is just plain good for efficiency."

Ritorno waited a few moments before speaking again.

"So you want Saya gone. And you _don't _want to be the one who does it so that you're not under suspicion. So, knowing I can kill her, you send me. If I fail or don't make it back, you're unaffected. If I succeed, you're benefited. And am I to assume that you would let me reach my brother if I performed that task?"

"You are to assume that, yes."

"Fine. I'll do your deed for you. But I have one condition of my own. It shouldn't be too difficult for you."

"What?" Terrence asked flatly.

"Whenever you initiate your little war on Devil May Cry, since I'm assuming you'll expect me to assist you, I want you to bring in Enzeru as well."

There was no recognition in the teenager's eyes.

"Should that scenario come about, I agree to your terms."

"Splendid."

Ritorno walked past Terrence, a grin once again on his face. Things might turn out alright after all. Once Saya was dead and the predictable dunces reacted, it would be he, Enzeru, Anthony and Terrence against the others. Then they would kill Anthony when the two were separated, allow the other to be weakened by DMC's famous devil hunters, and kill him to get the power for themselves. Mop up, and on to stardom. He wondered what kind of interests Enzeru had in this world.


	33. Divide and Conquer

Dante was sleeping on the couch when he heard a repulsive noise. It sounded like a demonic bird screaming through an old radio. Its screech cracked the air like glass, some of the sharp tendrils going through his skull. He felt his mind screaming at it to go away.

The hungover man opened his eyes, blinked, and realized it was the office phone. He checked his watch, but realized that it wasn't there. That made sense considering he'd never bought one.

_"Damn early morning logic." _He thought, rolling off the couch and making his way towards the desk. On the way there he felt something squish beneath his feet. Noting that it was pizza, Dante kicked off one of his boots and shot out in a leap towards the desk. Unfortunately his normally razor-sharp senses were about as blunt as a spherical rock right now. So his skull made contact with the edge of his desk. Muttering a curse underneath his breath, he picked up the phone and told them Devil May Cry was closed.

"Dante, sorry to wake you, but I'm afraid I've got a rather distressing situation to report."

Enzeru's whimsical voice made him feel like this was a dream, but Dante tried to hold onto consciousness. Luckily the fading ache in his head was helping with that for now.

"What do you mean?"

"I've gotten several calls from people who live near the waterfront, and it seems another monster has shown up."

"_Another _one? Damn, this is not how I wanted to start my day… alright, well, just tell everyone to stay as far away from the water as they can and they should be fine."

"Of course, but the thing is, it's not another shark."

Dante scratched his head and stood up straight, stretching his body out for the coming task.

"What is it then?"

"Well I haven't seen it for myself yet, but I've been told that it's… um…"

"_What_?!"

"The people tell me that it's Godzilla."

The fog faded from Dante's mind, and he felt his frown lift.

"You're kidding me."

"I am not. That's just what I've heard tho-"

"You guys head back. I'll be there soon. No one kills Godzilla but me!" He commanded before slamming the phone.

Dante grabbed the envelope of an overdue bill, grabbed a highlighter and then scribbled that he was going to go kill Godzilla. Afterwards he got his coat, Rebellion, one or two extra devil arms, and then his boot.

"Now _this _is how I want to start my morning!"

* * *

Vergil had been up a while, unlike Dante. Fortunately the thoughts that pervaded his mind now did not cause any manner of confliction in his heart. In fact, it was a rather welcoming experience to be able to focus on how to defeat an enemy and have no other distractions.

Diva slept beside him, her hands gripping his arm and one of her feet covering his ankle. It was the girl's infamous "You're not going anywhere without me" grip, and he had missed it. It relieved Vergil more than he could express through words that Diva and he were on good terms again, yet he felt there was something going on with her. The matter of her sons was the most obvious problem, and an understandable one. But he wasn't convinced that it was that simple.

_"But until I can find out what's bothering her, I might as well focus on what I _can _do."_

They hadn't called Enzeru the night before, and had instead opted to do so today. As far as the general plan went, the group had decided that they would set up a meeting between Ritorno and Enzeru. Enzeru would pretend that he was still indifferent to those around him to coax as much out of Ritorno as possible. If that didn't work, they would take him down and interrogate him later on. Either way, if they discovered that he in fact was not behind the whole demonic mutation issue, he could be exiled back to the demonic world. It wasn't just a slap on the wrist, but considering what he had put most of them through it was as good as that twisted man was going to get.

Diva stirred and he gazed down at her as the girl's face first turned towards him, and then slowly opened its eyes. She smiled when her eyes caught sight of him, and Diva's infamous "grip" turned into a hug, though she was still just hugging his arm.

"Good morning, my love."

He smiled back at her and responded, asking how her sleep had been.

"Heavenly. I haven't slept that well in a while. Yours?"

"I would say probably in the same category, though you know how my mind works."

Her smile changed to show some humor.

"Thinking about business?"

"The sooner we take care of it, the sooner we can take a vacation."

The girl's head tilted, and she stretched.

"It seems like we're always fighting one thing or another. I just thought it would be nice if we could take it easy for a while. Once we take down Ritorno the major threat will be over. I'm sure Enzeru can handle most of that on his own. Dante isn't the type to take vacations; he loves the job. But I'm sure Saya and Haji would like to take a break as well."

Diva's expression looked a bit meek, like a shy child about to ask for something.

"What about Terrence and Anthony?"

"If they want to come, sure. We would have to find somewhere that is Terrence-friendly, but I'm sure we could work something out. I've been saving up some money for a while just in case I found something that was worth spending it on other than things for you."

Diva purred her signature sign of approval and then told him that sounded like a great idea. Afterwards they discussed the details of their vacation, and then went downstairs to get something to eat. Upon their arrival the two discovered an envelope with a barely legible note written on it. Vergil couldn't help but think he was reading it wrong, though, because it looked like the last word was 'Godzilla'.

He began making them their breakfast when he heard the distinctive sound of drawers moving upstairs. There was plenty of food left and it was reaching its expiration date, so he decided to make it all so they could have a big breakfast.

"Dante is going to be angry when he gets back and finds out there isn't any for him." Diva teased.

"That's his problem. If he wanted breakfast he shouldn't have gone off slaying Godzillas or whatever it is he wrote." Vergil responded, looking forward to whatever exaggerated way Dante would display his displeasure.

Lady was the first one to come downstairs, and also couldn't believe that what Dante had written was true. Soon Saya and Haji arrived, and they had the biggest breakfast they couldn't afford since the last time they used Dante's credit card. After that they did a quick review of their Ritorno strategy and discussed the vacation idea Vergil had come up with. Lady said she would stay with Dante and Enzeru to help keep the number of "boots on the ground" at a decent number. Saya and Haji, on the other hand, seemed quite enthusiastic about the trip. Well, Saya did anyway. Haji simply supported her. Their plans were interrupted, however, when the phone rang. Lady answered it as she usually did, and seemed disturbed by the call.

"What is it?" Saya asked.

Lady covered the receiver with her palm and told them that another creature like the one they had fought before had appeared in the factory district. However, it was, obviously, a land-based creature. Vergil looked at Diva, and she pulled back one of the sleeves on her dress. The girl flexed her arm, displaying her nonexistent porcelain bicep. Vergil smiled and said they would handle it. Lady nodded and got the directions for them.

"It's strange, though; considering Ritorno must be weaker than he was before, I'm surprised he managed to create _two _of them under such circumstances." Vergil mentioned before he and Diva got their weapons and left.

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me."

A storm's worth of water rained down on Dante's car, and he was glad he had switched to hardtop. But that didn't make up for the atrocity that stood in front of him. As the last of the water dripped down his windshield he used the wipers to clean it off, turned off his car, and stepped out. Puddles had formed in the concrete, but he didn't care. The beast's shadow loomed over him, blocking out the sun, but he didn't care. The creature's size was _larger _than that of the megaladon, but he didn't care. The reason for this was summed up in one sentence.

"You mean I woke up early and raced here for the Godzilla from the _American _movie?!"

The thing was in better definition, and it looked real, but it was definitely closer to the 1998 Godzilla than any of the other ones. He didn't give a damn about Hollywood's ripoff; Dante wanted to fight the beast that could even make a 3rd generation Japanese American go "Ah! Itch Godjilla!" But no, no monster so scary it forces people into stereotypes around here; just a big, ugly, piece of scaly shit. Dante sighed and tossed his keys onto the driver's seat before closing the door and going to the back seat to get his other devil arms. The creature sucked in a huge breath and then screamed. Its roar could have made a baby _stop _crying, and then cry again, but Dante had heard worse. It definitely wasn't the glorious, narrow-ranged, high-pitched awesomeness it should have been. Nevertheless, it cracked his rear windshield, and that pissed him off. The white-haired man slammed his car door hard enough to make the vehicle shake, and ran towards the pseudo-godzilla.

"I should have let Enzeru and his overpowered interns take care of this after all."

* * *

Everyone had been gone for a while now. That was, except for Lady, Saya and Haji. No one knew when Dante had left, and the demon-chiropteran duo left around a half an hour ago. The combination of boring atmosphere at the shop and the knowledge that there was fighting going on elsewhere was an off-putting mixture. Nevertheless, they couldn't afford the possibility that another call would come regarding a powerhouse creature with no one around to answer the call. Once they ended Ritorno's scheme and either killed or otherwise neutralized him, they could relax. Until then, the devil was in the details, and they didn't want to overlook any.

"I wonder if Enzeru and the others are fighting their own creature, or if Dante teamed up with them." Lady wondered out loud while cleaning a gun. She was genuinely curious, but also wanted to give Saya something to talk about. Neither of them was the type to just sit in silence forever, going about their business like robots.

"It's hard to say, considering there could be any number of them out there. I know it's unrealistic, but I wish there was a given number of enemies to fight that we could count down. At least when Ritorno's group showed up we learned that there were only so many of them. No matter how difficult they were to beat, we had that much."

"I understand your point, though I didn't get in on that action. Haji and I must have played more games of poker than a cowboy in a spaghetti western waiting for you guys to come back. It was nerve-racking."

Saya gazed at Haji, noting that he had the same expression as always, but understand how difficult it must have been for him in particular.

"Don't get me wrong, it makes sense; when it came to what was going on, we didn't get any kind of magical weapons to fight them. And I'm used to being the low-tier combatant compared to Dante's action-movie invulnerability, but it doesn't make it any easier having to sit around like some wool-eyed damsel just because someone's stronger than me. I'd rather at least fight and do something than hide at home."

Saya's attention switched to Lady now, surprised at such a revelation. The young woman wasn't really the sharing type, for the most part. Beyond that, Saya had never really thought of such a situation. Since she had always been "the one" who had to fight, it was hard for her to imagine being the weakest in a group, unable to help people when facing strong adversaries. Lady was always there whenever she could be, whether it was at the siege or while fighting the megaladon. But while Saya hadn't felt like she didn't belong in battle, it was hard to argue that she wasn't the most vulnerable of the group.

"It's not your fault. We were born or given the abilities we have now. It's not like you didn't deserve them. If the day ever comes when all demons are destroyed, you will be the only one who can live a normal life. But you still manage to hold your own."

The slide of Lady's gun cocked into position and she placed the weapon in its holster.

"To be honest, I don't know if I _could _manage a normal life now. This is all I really know. I would rather die making sure such a world becomes a reality than try to live like a random person in it myself."

Saya understood Lady's reasoning, though her personal cause for feeling the same way had long past. Back when the enemies she fought were the chiropterans who had sought to spread their species throughout the world, she had decided that her very existence was a threat to humans. But since seeing that Diva could change, and that there were still unnatural creatures preying upon people, Saya had learned she was not fated to bring harm on humans. Her duty was, instead, to fight whatever else tried to harm them. And if the day should ever come that she had accomplished her mission, well, Saya would see where she stood. That was assuming she lived to see it, of course; she was every bit as committed to giving her life for the cause as Lady.

"I understand what you mean. Though considering our foes and their numbers, I don't think the world can quite afford our absence yet." Saya said with a smile. Her acknowledgement of Lady as one of the people who actually made a difference caused the young woman to smile as well.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. I think the world would be a rather more interesting and cleaner place without your kind weighing it down."

For a moment Saya was surprised, both at what she heard, and at the unexpected voice. It was after that when she realized the speaker had snuck in through the front door and was standing in front of the pool table. She couldn't see his face, but Saya recognized the man's smug attitude from any angle.

"Then again, that's just me." Ritorno spoke as he scattered the balls across the table.


	34. The Weakest Link

"Ritorno… Why did you come here?" Saya demanded as Haji handed the girl her katana and Lady's hand neared her pistol.

"I just figured I would come here and pay a visit. Ah, but that's right, this is a business."

Ritorno moved about the pool table, lining up another shot.

"Where's everyone else? I thought I was public enemy number one around here. Or have you children finally realized how much of a threat Terrence is?"

"Our relationship with Terrence is none of your business. What we _are _interested in is just _how _you are spreading your demonic virus."

The man laughed as he shot a solid color ball into a side pocket.

"Your little rag-tag group never ceases to amaze me with just how moronic it is. You still haven't figured out how your 'virus' works? It was my mistake last time to come at you head on; I should have just blocked off a road and installed a detour sign that led off a cliff."

"Stop joking around! People have lost their lives in this demonic war! What do you have to gain from sending your mutated demons out into the city?"

Ritorno's shooting stance flopped as he laughed once more, and the man gave an amused sigh before rising from the table.

"Haven't you ever heard of the term 'divide and conquer'?"

A sliver of confusion poked at Saya's mind, but it wasn't there long.

"You split us up so you could take us all down separately…"

"Close, but not quite. See, I know how tough those others are. I know that those creatures they've left to fight are good as gum on the sidewalk in the long term. _But_… now I have the weakest three all to myself."

Saya scowled as she drew out her sword and cast the sheath aside.

"You're mistaken-"

"Am I? Your human friend can't even recover from a decent wound. And your… manservant wasn't fit to accompany you to my headquarters last time. Then there's you and… your sharp piece of human metal. Plus an overrated sense of immortality that can't stand up to decapitation or fire or acid or anything else of the sort. Your abilities aren't even as high as your sister's. How are you not the trio of weakest links?"

Lady drew her pistol and fired with such speed that Ritorno's inhuman reflexes barely avoided it. When he did, Saya was waiting for him, and gave a quick slash at him with her katana. He avoided that as well, but at his final position Haji was already swinging his cello case down at the half-demon sociopath. Ritorno just barely managed to bring his arms up in a cross-block, but he was still knocked several feet back.

"Heh, struck a nerve, did I?" He taunted while rising. From what Saya could see, he had no sword. But she wasn't going to take any chances. He had made a big mistake thinking that he could treat them like cannon fodder and get away with it. Not to mention he no longer had his abilities to teleport a sword that could kill people with a touch.

Saya and Haji lined up in a formation before her chevalier darted forward like a bullet train. His cello case flew from his grip, its velocity increased by his already considerable speed. Ritorno struck the object away, but had to lock hands with Haji as a result. At the same time Saya leapt over her chevalier's shoulders and struck down at the man, scoring a hit on his trapezius as she landed behind him. She followed up, but Ritorno kicked her hands to stop the blade's path before shifting his weight and throwing Haji across the room. Before he could do anything else, though, Lady shot towards his face, forcing him to back off. By the time he could find a place to take cover Saya and Haji had gotten back into position.

"This is starting to get annoying." Ritorno muttered before he disappeared, moving so fast he left an afterimage in his wake. Saya could barely follow his path, but Haji saw where he was going, and got between him and Lady just in time to prevent her demise. Ritorno soon overpowered him, but Saya was there in an instant and aimed to separate his right leg just above the knee. Instead he cartwheeled, spinning Haji as well, before slamming the chevalier into the floor as he avoided her strike. Before she could react the half-demon performed a roundhouse kick that knocked her sword away and followed up with a hook that made her bones rattle. With Saya's nervous system temporarily overwhelmed, he avoided Lady's bullets before disarming her and grabbing the young woman by the throat.

"The weakest one first, I suppose."

She struggled to breathe despite being hoisted up into the air by the neck. Despite that, she drew a scaled-down submachine gun from her back, but Ritorno grabbed her wrist and aimed it at Saya before the girl could pull the trigger. The result was a shout from both women and Saya's falling to the floor. Haji rose to stop him, but was downed with a quick sidekick. As the two struggled to regain their feet, Lady's eyes began to roll back in her head.

"Why try so hard to protect something so weak?" Ritorno asked before receiving a harmless punch from Lady on his temple.

"Ha, well at least you have- wait a minute."

He loosened his grip on her throat just enough for her eyes to roll back down, and he saw the entirety of her irises for the first time. Her brown and blue orbs struck a chord in his memory and his attention narrowed just long enough for Haji to tackle him away from her. The attack was a desperate one, and didn't appear to have done any damage, though at the very least Lady could finally breathe.

"You're Enzeru's descendant. Down from the one Lucina bore him."

Though she was still coughing, Lady glared at the man who was, unfortunately, an ancient relative. Saya and Haji had regained their footing and the chiropteran queen removed the bullet from her body while taking up her sword.

"That doesn't concern you. You're just a madman with demonic powers. You don't get to cite lineage as if it matters."

Ritorno snarled as he clenched a fist, cracking his knuckles in the process.

"As if you know what goes on in my mind, little girl. I didn't burn a cross on your lawn; I got revenge for the murder of my brother. Act as high and mighty as you'd like, but your self-righteousness is nothing more than glorified narcissism!"

Before Saya could react, he was between her and Haji. His palms flew up to their faces and he slammed them both to the floor. Lady rose her gun, but he struck the weapon with such force it shattered into countless pieces. His follow-up strike sent Lady sliding across the floor, unconscious.

"Sparda's foolishness cost Enzeru and Lucina their lives, in one way or another. It fell to me to ensure his line didn't end. You have no idea how many generations of his descendants I kept from walking off the proverbial cliff. I guess the apple has fallen rather far from the tree."

He turned back towards the duo as they rose and a sword appeared in his left hand.

"Someone like you would never understand the bond of family we have. You tried to kill your own sister just because she drained the blood of a few hundred humans. Who are you to act like the shining judge of family values?"

Saya had lost interest in debating morals with a psychopath, even one which wouldn't kill his own kin. She and Haji drew themselves up once more, and her eyes glowed red as she prepared to give the fight her all.

"I'll show you the power of brotherhood." Ritorno spoke in a disturbingly suppressed tone before disappearing like he had before. A sword seemed to materialize within Haji's body as it pierced through him and nailed the man to the floor. Saya shouted as she slashed down with all of her strength. With nothing but his hands to defend himself now, she felt her katana slice through his body by the foot, nearly bisecting one of his arms from the elbow up. But she realized that he had allowed himself to be hurt as his wound healed and he used the sword's trapped status to draw her in and grab her by the neck. She felt his fingers tearing her skin as they dug into her throat, and she dropped the sword to pull his hand away. As she did, he swung his other arm across and slashed the girl with her own sword. It sliced through her clothes and her skin and cracked her bones before he threw her across the floor.

"You try to kill me without getting hurt; your body _heals _you _idiot_! If you can take a wound in order to defeat your enemy…" He began, drawing her sword out of his arm.

"Then why not do it?"

He said nothing else as he leapt into the air and descended towards the girl, the katana swinging towards her neck.


	35. Return to Base

The creature was dead. Vergil had known they would be able to take it down, but it was surprising how much of a difference fighting a land-based monster made things. With nothing but a boat for footing in their previous battle, they had been fighting with "one hand tied behind their back" so to speak. That being said, there wasn't much of a warehouse district anymore. They were fine, but the monster had felled virtually every building within a mile or two over the course of their battle. Ultimately they had to use Vergil's judgment cut to slowly whittle away at its massive body until there was nothing left. But the creature had possessed the ability to regenerate even its head, so that had taken quite a while. If Diva hadn't grown bored and unleashed a blistering amount of damage on it to end the fight as quickly as possible they might still be fighting it now.

The duo was not concerned with anything else happening; if another one of these creatures showed up, they would hear it coming. And if not, well, there wasn't anyone left in the city anyway. With no people left in the city but demon hunters, there wasn't much cause for concern. As a result, they decided to walk back instead of rushing. There was no scenery to admire, with it being a city that had been rebuilt so many times there was hardly any interesting architecture left, and with the rampant destruction from various demons most of _that _had already been toppled. Still, it was nice to be able to just take things at a slow pace and ease along. It certainly wasn't the pace at which their lives usually traveled, and once they got back to Devil May Cry things would be the same again, no doubt.

"Vergil, I realized something…"

The white-haired demon hunter turned his head towards her as they walked. She was plucking at her dress, stained with a variety of different liquids from the creature's body.

"White isn't a very good color for this."

Vergil smirked and looked back at the way they were headed.

"I am inclined to agree. Whenever we _do _make money, that's what you and I usually go out to buy. They don't last particularly long either."

"But I like the color. It's pretty."

Vergil was about to respond when Diva reached up to feel his hair. Given their difference in height, she had to go onto her toes, but she continued to tip toe along as they walked.

"Ha. Ha. I get it; pretty white, pretty hair."

"_Soft _hair." She said with a smile before returning to her feet and walking alongside him.

"So this vacation you mentioned before; where is it you would want to go?" She asked him.

He thought about it, and decided it would have to be somewhere rural. Forget about Terrence's attitude causing problems; if Diva were taken to a theme park she would undoubtedly end up trying to surf on a rollercoaster. She would most likely succeed, and either way, they would have trouble. Ski resorts would be out of the question; she would try to ride the lifts the whole time. She would cut zip lines to see what people falling mid-way would look like, not that they would go zip-lining anyway. But if they just got a cabin and went camping she would probably get bored. Not to mention Terrence would undoubtedly wander off.

"I'm not sure. We would have to find just the right place to go." He summarized.

"I wouldn't care where we went. I think it would be nice either way."

"Agreed. I just mean we need to make sure the place would be non-human-friendly."

Diva's lips pouted as she delved into deep thought. Vergil noticed after a few seconds, but gave her a few minutes before asking what she was thinking about.

"I was just wondering if there would be a way for Terrence to be more… human-like. Anthony would adjust, I'm sure. Perhaps he would be a bit like Dante. But I can tell that Terrence would be different, even without the powers he has now."

He understood that Terrence's nature bothered Diva now that she thought of him as a son. It was understandable, as it was obvious to anyone that, even as a human, Terrence would easily fit the description of an antisocial person. Not that being different than your average human was necessarily a bad thing, but he seemed unusually cold, and Vergil knew what that attitude led to. That being said, they couldn't force him to change; even if he were physically vulnerable enough to not be able to outrun them, the more one tells _anyone _they ought to be a certain way, the more their mind resists. And with his cold personality he wouldn't see much reason to act differently. That was the main problem; when one thinks from an emotionless, selfish mindset, one sees no rational reason to depart from it. They couldn't convince him of anything, he would either discover something for which he was willing to change, or he wouldn't.

"If he wants to change, he will. But he will need a reason. I know his kind of mindset, and he won't adjust unless he feels like he ought to. That's all I know of, anyway."

Diva seemed to take in his words like how-to instructions, and her mind went straight to work, figuring out how to give her son a reason to change. Vergil remained silent for the rest of the walk back, understanding that he wouldn't be able to have priority within her heart any longer. It would be a lie if the young man said that didn't bother him, but the higher part of his mind knew that she loved him just as much as before; she just loved her sons as well.

* * *

So Godzilla had some game. He'd lost a quarter of his jacket, a glove, and his belt to the thing. Not to mention a pretty charred boot. It turned out the thing had fire breath just like the real Godzilla. He was just lucky it wasn't any more effective than a real flamethrower… one with a flame twenty times as large, anyway. The details didn't matter, what _did _matter was that the story ended the same it always did.

_"Thing was damn durable, though. Does the virus make them not just bigger and stronger but more durable too? It'd be pretty interesting if a whole army of demons was infected with that." _Dante mused as he walked up the steps to Devil May Cry and opened the doors. It only took a second for him to notice something was wrong, and Dante opened his senses to the environment as he entered.

_"Was that all just a diversion? Even if it was, there's no way anything could have given them much of a problem with the shop still in this good of shape. Hell, even when runts show up they usually at least knock down the doors."_

Dante heard footsteps coming down the stairs and wondered what the story would be as he eased up. Though as he walked across the large room he saw there was a hole or two in the floor, albeit small ones. There were also distinctive wall decorations in the form of bullet holes.

_"S'pose that's what I get for doubting collateral damage being done to my shop." _

He noticed that the footsteps had stopped and sensed something behind him.

_"Trying to get the jump on me, huh?" _He thought while spinning and pulling Rebellion free from its sheath, swinging down towards-

"Oh, hey Haji."

The tall, stoic man gazed at him with no offense or anger in his eyes, yet Dante found the moment exceedingly awkward considering his huge sword was inches away from Haji's temple. Sheathing the sword, he asked the chevalier what was going on.

"Ritorno used those modified creatures to draw you, Diva and Vergil away and then attacked us."

"Damn, I'd expect a diversion but I wouldn't have thought he'd attack us outright. So what happened? Doesn't look like it got that intense."

"He almost killed us all. He was about to… decapitate Saya when-"

"We have Ritorno. He's back at Enzeru's now." A sharp voice said from across the room. Dante turned towards the speaker, but already knew it was Terrence.

"As Ritorno was about to strike, Terrence stopped and crippled him. After that he told us he would take the man back to the castle for interrogation."

Terrence had walked over to them, but was mostly looking at Dante. Haji, after all, already knew most of the story.

"Enzeru won't be happy that we're essentially torturing his brother to learn how to deal with this virus, but we can't afford to allow his reach to extend beyond the city."

Dante was puzzled, and crossed his arms.

"How'd you know he would be here?"

"I sensed the fight. At first we were on our way to fight that monster on the waterfront, but when I felt something was wrong I told Enzeru to turn back towards his estate in case Ritorno was headed there. I left him and Anthony there and decided to come to Devil May Cry in case he had targeted it instead. And what do you know…"

Dante shrugged and let his arms fall back to his side.

"As long as he can't spread that virus of his anymore, I guess it doesn't matter. So when does your 'sessions' start?"

"As soon as I get back. I don't have patience for this kind of stuff; I prefer the most expedient and practical approach."

"Well best of luck with that. I never got into the whole torture thing, but I wouldn't mind giving him a hook or two if it helped things along."

Terrence started towards the door as he responded, "I don't have hooks yet, but I think I saw Home Depot on the way here. I'll keep that in mind."

The kid-king was gone, and Dante shook his head.

"Ah, to be young. Right, Haji?"

The chevalier continued to look out after the young man.

"Something on your mind?"

"No, it's nothing. Saya and Lady are in the back resting. Have you heard from Diva or Vergil yet?"

"I'm sure they're fine." He assured the man while walking towards the case in the back to deposit his devil arms.

"You know, I wish I could get more of these things. It's been a while since I got a devil's arm. Wouldn't mind trying out a new one on one of these boss-fight demons."

Haji turned towards him and asked how many he had.

"Not including Rebellion, and Force Edge, four. And a couple of different guns."

"I remember, you used a few of them during the fight with Vergil at The Zoo in France, didn't you?"

Dante closed the weapons case as he confirmed the previous statement. He had used the weapons while making his way to Arkham in the demon world, back before he had ever met a chiropteran. It was strange, even though things were the same on the demon fighting front, his home life had changed significantly with everyone around. He gave most of the people a hard time, but it was great having them around. Maybe he'd close up shop for a little while for this vacation thing and go along. That was assuming Lady would come as well. He trusted her to take out small-fry demons, but there was always a bigger fish swimming its way up the pond.

"These things are pretty valuable. Not just because they're powerful, but each has the soul of a demon in it. Say what you want about the trivial kinds; there are a few that are worth keeping around here. Good for the soul, you know?"

"I'm afraid I don't."

Dante grinned.

"Yeah, I guess I don't either. Damn good to have in a pinch, though."


	36. Shaken

It turned out they had more of a reason to go see Enzeru now than simply for food and information on the interrogation. Though it was doubtful he knew anything related to the infected chiropterans, perhaps he could conjure some little trick that could reveal what the creature in their home had been doing before Dante found it.

Diva was somewhat glad that the topic of the walk had been forgotten in the aftermath of the attack, as she wanted a bit more time to think about the matter without others asking. What troubled her about Terrence's plan was what had bothered Anthony the most as well; if he could have captured or interrogated Ritorno earlier, why put together a fairly complex plan just to do so later? She knew the boy was amoral and, as a rule, didn't hold that against him. However, when it came to conspiring, even falsely, with an enemy, others would not be as understanding as she was. If he was to be accepted by the others as trustworthy family, knowledge of such plans could not be restricted to just he and Anthony.

Vergil was at the weapons cabinet retrieving their swords just for the sake of being prepared as the others got ready to leave, and Diva thought about mentioning the matter to him when they were alone. With the kind of person he had been before they met, he might be the one best-suited to explain Terrence's outlook on the situation. Not to mention, she could rely on him keeping the secret on the grounds that it was important to her.

"Dante, do you want Rebellion, or not?" Vergil called as his brother donned a coat in his trademark red leather.

"Yeah, might as well. Toss it on over."

_"I will ask him after he finishes with dinner. He never eats very much-"_

Everyone was put on guard for an instant when the sound of the wall being penetrated struck throughout the office. But it was no enemy breaking in for a death match. It wasn't an angry Anthony taking out his confusion on the physical world. It was Rebellion impaling itself in the wall behind Dante, who had failed to catch it. The man had reached out, ever confident, absent-minded, really. But he had missed the hilt of his sword.

"What the hell…" He thought, yanking the blade from the wall with a hand and placing it in the sheath on his back.

"Are you alright?" Saya asked. Her concern was justified as the devil hunter had never once made such a mistake in _battle_, let alone in an ordinary situation.

"Yeah, I missed. That's all." He blew off the question. As Saya began to speak up again, there was once more an offending sound, but this time it was Lady collapsing on the floor.

"What the hell?" Dante asked as he rushed over to the young woman and turned her over. Nothing seemed wrong, but the girl was out cold.

"A delayed effect from the battle?" Vergil asked.

"I don't think so. She's had plenty of experience with wounds; Lady wouldn't just brush off something that she thought was a major deal. Either way, we should get her to Enzeru. He might not be able to heal her, but he'll be better at figuring out what's wrong."

Dante lifted the young woman into his arms, and even as he crossed the office the half-demon noticed how… wrong it felt to be doing so. Even though Lady was the most physically vulnerable of their group, she had always insisted on holding up her end of a situation without any assistance. To be carrying her like some damsel who had fainted just didn't seem right.

"Saya, can you and Haji stay here just in case there's another call? The last thing we need is Mecha-Godzilla showing up and stomping on our shop." Dante asked.

"What about their fatigue? Their wounds might be healed, but it takes blood to heal them, right? Without any from their dinner, won't they be weaker than usual?" Vergil asked.

"Don't worry; we'll be fine. We'll stay away from a fight we can't handle." Saya assured the others.

"I can stay too, if it'll make you feel any better." Anthony volunteered.

"Appreciate it, dude. I'll teach you the cheapest move in Tekken Tag 2 when I get back."

"Heh, as if you know games better than me." Anthony retorted, just to give Dante a hard time.

"Say that to Bob and Alisa when I get back." Dante spoke before he was out the door.

No one else knew what the hell they were talking about, but Diva and Vergil followed after him, regardless.

"We'll be back as soon as we can with some food." Diva assured Saya.

"I'll get extra servings just for you, Saya." She finished, timing her statement with the closing of the door so her twin couldn't respond.

* * *

After the awkwardness of Diva's statement had worn off, Saya tried to think of a way to engage Anthony in conversation. Eventually she simply decided to mention why he was still here in the first place.

"Thanks for staying. I'm sure you would rather get back to your brother than just hang around here with us." Saya thanked the boy. Now that she thought about, he was her nephew, wasn't he?

"Don't worry about it. You guys aren't the only ones who need a break from his… Terrence-ness." He tried to joke. Saya obliged him, and was glad that one of the brothers was sociable.

"Well at least he doesn't have the interests Diva used to have when she was out of control."

"Like what?"

"The less severe things she did were stacking cars like building blocks when she was bored. And she would do so when people were still inside them. Or going to sing at a theater when there was already a production going on, then expecting the performers to leave. Those are just examples from after she began living here."

Anthony seemed amused by the stories. But said he had a hard time believing that.

"That part of her personality is toned down now. The time she has spent with all of us, but particularly Vergil, has caused her to grow up a bit."

"So, that Vergil guy's pretty cool, huh? I haven't really talked with him much. I just know him and Terrence don't jive much."

"I think it's because Vergil used to be like him when he was younger, before he met Diva. I can't speak for him, but I think that he both feels sorry for how Terrence is now, and also hates that part of himself."

Anthony didn't respond and seemed drawn into his thoughts. Saya decided to leave him in them and relaxed on one of the couches.

_"I don't understand why I still haven't recovered. Haji doesn't seem to be as under the weather as I am, but ever since that fight neither of us have been as strong as we had been."_

She didn't feel particularly ill, but rather just not at "one hundred percent". Was it really just the blood loss, or something else? It was as if she was experiencing the gradual slip into the thirty year sleep she and Diva used to experience. After the final battle at the Metropolitan Opera house, the Red Shield had done an analysis of her blood and found that traces of Diva's blood platelets were still present in her body. Though there was no way to be sure since they couldn't run an experiment on others, the scientists had concluded that a queen wasn't really meant to survive after coming into contact with the other's blood. And when her body received Diva's blood when it was no longer fatal to her, there was still a change. As such, the inactive phase of sleep which they normally experienced had ceased. She didn't quite understand what they had meant, but was grateful she wouldn't have to spend thirty years apart from her loved ones. It was ironic that, now that she was a member of Devil May Cry, she had inevitably left her extended family behind.

_"How did I just forget about them? We lived and fought together in the war against the chiropterans, but after the fight against Vergil at The Zoo, things changed. Kai, Luis, David, Joel, Julia, Mao, and that reporter guy… I wonder how they're doing right now."_

As Anthony and Saya were thinking, both were pulled from their thoughts by the sound of a ringing telephone in the back. Anthony said he would get it, and didn't take more than half a minute to find and answer the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Anthony."

The young man was nervous at first when he heard his brother's voice on the phone. Not that there was anything to fear, but he didn't want to deal with one of his twin's famous lectures.

"Another one of those creatures has shown up. We're in range, but it's different than it was before. Larger and with different properties. Come back here to guard the prisoner while we're gone."

"But I'm supposed to stay here in case-"

"In case _what_? He escapes and comes after them? That's kind of the point."

"_Or _in case another one of those things comes _here_."

"What would you rather have? A large demon showing up, or their leader escaping to who knows where? If they're attacked, they're attacked. It's a trashy shop, anyway."

"Well did you find out what you need to know yet? Why not just kill him or neutralize him and then go?"

"He hasn't given anything useful up, yet. And I can't just take his limbs off; we don't know if he can grow them back. Strategically, this is the best move. You know that, so get _back _here."

"Terrence- aah… damnit."

His brother had already hung up, meaning that Anthony essentially "had" to go. When he came out to the office and explained the situation, Saya said it was alright.

"I appreciate that you want to stay here just in case, but we'll be fine. I would rather know that Ritorno cannot escape than know I am safe. Please, go."

Anthony sighed, but didn't feel as bad now. At least he had a non-dickhole reason to leave them behind. He tried to come up with a good thing to say before leaving, but all he could manage was "sorry" before darting out the doors.

* * *

"How hard did he hit her?" Enzeru asked Dante as they gazed at her, sleeping on a sofa.

"From what I heard, not that hard. I guess he just wanted to knock her out. Before that he almost choked her to death, though."

Only the two men and the unconscious woman were left; everyone else had already gone to fight the newly-arrived creature. They would be departing shortly, but everyone had just gotten here in the first place, so there hadn't been time to speak beforehand. Given the "muscle" that was already headed the demon's way, time wasn't as much the essence as it otherwise might have been. Not to mention Lady _was _Enzeru's descendant.

"Well I didn't see any indication that there was significant trauma to her head. And I don't have an x-ray machine or anything, but if Ritorno really _was _just trying to knock her out, I doubt he would have done more than was necessary to do so."

"So you think she'll be alright?"

Enzeru rubbed his chin for a moment. Perhaps his face wasn't used to frowning so much. Dante didn't know, but he could tell when incoming news wasn't going to be good.

"As I said, I don't think it's from Ritorno. But that doesn't mean something isn't wrong. It could just be the stress of all the battles she's been in, coupled with what he said to her, or the cause could be decidedly less typical. I'm not sure."

Dante sighed and asked how long it would probably take Anthony to show up.

"The kid can be darn fast when he wants to be, so I'd say only a few more minutes."

"You want to wait until he gets here? Or should we head out?"

"In the kind of condition Ritorno is in… I don't think he would be able to escape. Terrence pulled an entire building over the entrance to the basement he's in, after all."

Dante nodded and the two glanced at Lady again before heading towards the exit.

"It must be one hell of an awkward situation, this whole thing." Dante offered.

"Ritorno is the reason I'm alive. And is also supposedly the reason all of this is happening. He almost killed the only other family I have, but then stopped trying after he learned she's related to us. To say the least, yes, it is a debacle."

"I don't get why he won't give it up. He knows he isn't going anywhere, and that he won't die if he confesses. The guy has to know these things are badasses, but that we can kill all of them. Something about it isn't right." Dante responded.

The two ultimately decided that until Ritorno would confess what he knew about the situation, his ongoing interrogation would have to continue. Perhaps if Enzeru were to ask, things would be different. He had preferred to stay at a distance, but if his involvement could resolve all this and reduce his brother's pain, it was necessary.

_"Is it just me, or are there way too many family issues lately?" _Dante asked himself.

* * *

It had taken Terrence twenty minutes to get from Devil May Cry to Enzeru's estate. He was getting out of shape. But either way, things should be fine. With Terrence involved in the fight against whatever bigass demon had emerged, things wouldn't take long. Why it was necessary for anyone to accompany him in the battle was beyond the younger twin. But hell, what did he know?

_"I guess that just means they'll kill it quicker. Fine by me; I want to get back and hear more about how Diva used to be. I still can't believe she'd do all that stuff. That's actually kind of cool. She's pretty tame now- _what the hell, Terrence? I know the dude's been beat to hell, but you could at least lock the door to the basement."

Anthony noticed that there had been something heavy as hell weighing down on the doors beforehand, but it was gone now.

_"… goddamnit."_

The young man tore open the doors and dropped down into the basement where Ritorno was being held.

"Shit! Why the hell didn't anyone _wait_?!" He shouted before leaping out of the basement and rushing back to Devil May Cry as quickly as he could. Mastermind or not, if that bastard had done anything to Saya, he was losing his head.


	37. Villain

Saya and Haji hadn't talked much since Anthony's departure, not that they usually did so, anyway. Still, Saya enjoyed the time she had alone with her chevalier. The girl had been thinking about her previous life more and more and the idea had occurred to her that perhaps when the members of Devil May Cry went on their vacation, perhaps she could make it a double one with her old family. She particularly missed Kai, her adoptive brother, and wondered how he was doing.

"Haji, do you remember what I did after the battle in New York?"

"I believe you said that, after returning to Okinawa, you stayed with Kai and worked with him at your father's restaurant."

"Yes. And then when I learned about Diva's return and started traveling here, you revealed yourself to me. I'd thought you were dead..."

"I'm sorry. I just thought you would want to spend time with Kai and the others while you could. Our bodies do not age, after all."

"No, that's not what I meant. I'm grateful that you came to help me once again, and that you were alive at all. I thought Diva's Chevalier Amshel had killed you... What I mean is, after we returned from The Zoo, do you think it was right for me to just come live here instead of returning to Kai and the others?"

"You feel guilt for remaining here?"

Saya couldn't really answer him. She was thinking three different responses at once. Yes, there was guilt. But at the same time she also had to stay for Diva. And if she hadn't stayed Saya would have regularly worried about her sister reverting to her old ways.

"There isn't really an easy way to describe how I feel about it. I guess I just wish I could be both here and back in Okinawa at once."

As silence radiated out from Saya's statement, she felt herself on the verge of crying.

"Saya..."

"I'm sorry, Haji; I've always cried to you about my problems like you were a wall-"

"Oh enough already. You two are like a bad soap opera." Came a complaint from outside. Given the familiarity of the voice, the fact that the doors were once again going to be destroyed was rather unimportant.

_"How did he escape?"_ Saya thought as she spoke Ritorno's name out loud. Soon after the doors exploded inwards, flying past the couches and into Dante's desk. The wooden pieces scattered in front of the weapons case and the doorway to the back of the building. Saya didn't know if that was intentional on Ritorno's part, but it didn't matter; she had no intention of running away and Haji, as always, had her katana ready.

"Show yourself!" She shouted out into the street. But for several moments there came no response. When one DID come, it was not the kind she had been expecting; two eyes of light ignited and their bearer roared at them. Its heart growled furiously before the vehicle that Ritorno had taken sped towards the front of the shop.

_"Dante is NOT going to be happy when he gets back."_ She thought as both of them moved sideways towards the wall, far out of the incoming vehicle's way. When it crashed through the doorway, crunching the frame as it did so, Haji dashed out towards it. While trying to counter the physical power of the car would leave Haji wide open to counterattack, he had another option as well. Slashing a side of the vehicle with his claw, the chevalier caused enough trauma to send the car through several violent turns before it came to a halt in front of the debris. But though Haji's quick thinking had saved the shop from further collateral damage, both chiropterans quickly observed that their enemy was not in the driver's seat.

"A diversion." She thought out loud.

They turned towards the entrance once again, but the next attack came from behind Saya. Truth be told, if she hadn't heard the sound of metal scraping against concrete outside, the girl probably would have been bisected. As it was, she did, and managed to only have the tip of Ritorno's sword slice across her lower back.

Saya cried out in pain as she glared back at the gash in the wall. However, that was not all the man had planned, and she was fortunate that Haji pulled her with him to safety as the wall imploded. Only a small breach was created, compared to the extent of the wall, but the rubble that scattered out still tore its way through both couches before striking the wall on the other side of the office.

_"He's not kidding around this time. He really is trying his hardest to kill us."_ She thought as the wound in her back healed.

Ritorno finally emerged in physical form as he stepped through the new entrance he

had made for himself.

"I don't have time to play, I'm afraid we're going to have to make this short and to the point."

He swept his sword through the air, producing a wave of air that crashed into them. It caused no pain, but Saya could barely keep her eyes open. Within a few moments the tip of a sword penetrated the gust and Saya narrowly side-stepped it being impaled in her skull. She thrust a foot in the ground and swept her sword at him, only to have it blocked by the base of his blade. Haji attacked from behind, but Ritorno flipped over her, leaving them to crash into each other as he twisted in the air and landed facing them.

"Haji, we're going to have to try something new. He already knows how we fight." She whispered.

Her chevalier acknowledged the strategy, and she dropped into a crouch while turning around. Haji threw several daggers at their enemy, and as they passed overhead she fell in behind them. Ritorno struck them away with ease, but was forced into a sword lock with Saya afterwards. Before he could pull off any tricks, Haji had reached his cello case and thrown it at the half-demon. As he back-stepped to get out of the way, Saya dropped into a battojutsu stance.

"Ridiculous!" Ritorno cursed as he touched down behind the case. But Saya had been expecting Haji's actions and when she slashed out with her katana as if pulling it from its sheath the man wasn't ready. He blocked the attack, but lost the grip on his sword and was sent first through the windows of the car and then into the debris behind him.

"You weren't prepared for THAT." She spoke while returning to a normal stance. Haji had caught his cello case and returned to her side.

"We were fortunate you took the time to learn some techniques from Vergil." He spoke, to which she nodded.

"We can't continue on the same way all the time if we want to stay ahead of our enemies." She reflected.

"Indeed."

Saya tensed at the word, as Haji had not been the one who said it. They saw the debris move, and then separated to avoid the car as it was kicked at them. Saya had just landed when her world was crystallized. It took the girl a moment to realize that she was merely staring at a huge ice formation, but by then Haji was already trying to block a torrent of flames with his cello case. Though the device was made of metal and didn't catch fire, it grew so hot that he could no longer hold it with both hands and had to leap away, getting scorched in the process.

Saya ran to her chevalier, whose wounds were healing, but when she glanced back the girl admittedly felt intimidated.

"Did you know that only those with demonic properties can wield a devils arm?" Ritorno taunted as he held several of Dante's hard-won weapons.

"These are the only reasons you all survived that fight with Vergil when he was crazy, right? Let's see how it works when it's the other way around."

* * *

There was a building in his way, but Anthony just plunged through one side's windows and then tore the wall on the other end open. From there he climbed the side of some kind of office building. It was easily the tallest building in the area, and gave him a decent view of the "burnt earth" path to Devil May Cry. Even with what buildings remained standing being in his way, he had heard some sounds from a distance, though he couldn't tell what they were. The fact that they were loud enough to be heard from so far away meant the fight was already started.

"_Which means I've gotta get my ass moving." _He thought, leaping off the ten-story high office building and trying to get as far as he could in the air before taking to his feet again. In many ways the desolated landscape made things _harder _since he couldn't rely on things staying solid beneath his feet, and all the uneven ground in the first place. But up ahead he could get back on the road.

"_I swear, if that bastard's done anything more than foreplay he's going down."_

Anthony's anger propelled him even faster, and the young man reached the road within a minute. It took all his strength by that point to come to a halt, as he ran into it from the side. Devil May Cry lay at the end of the road, and he could see that the entrance was destroyed, as well as whatever was down the middle inside.

He tensed for a moment, constricting his legs as if rubber bands, and then exploded down the road towards the shop. He was in the parking lot in ten seconds, and saw a huge fireball inside the shop. Haji was between Saya and the fire, but Anthony could do one better. He ground his feet into the floorboards, tearing them up, but the air that had been pulled behind him soared through the flames, extinguishing them.

"Sorry about that. Didn't know he was gone until I got there." He apologized to them while turning. Before they could say anything, he continued to twist, and glared at the bastard who had attacked them. He had some funky weapons, which were probably where all the destruction had come from.

"So you're that old, huh? Can't win on your own so you need weapon enhancement products?

"My, what a little comedian. Or jester. That's what you were called 'back in my day'." Ritorno countered playfully.

"The hell's the point in coming back here? You had to know you were just going to get the shit beat out of you again."

"Au contraire."

Saya shouted for him to watch out as Ritorno pulled some weird blue nunchuck things from his back and thrust them into the ground. Blossoms of ice formed a line across the floor, heading towards him. But Anthony wasn't impressed. He pulled his machete from its sheath and struck the closest crystal back into the others, shattering them all. Then he swung the blade through the air to get the ice off of it.

"That all you can do? You should have gotten a job as a portable refrigerator."

Despite his failed attack, Ritorno lost no face, and pulled another weapon from his back, some stupid-looking guitar. Within a moment he gave it a strum and the water that the crystals had left behind was electrified. Anthony cursed and backed off several yards so he wouldn't be affected.

"We have to work together to take away the advantage of his weapons, Anthony. They're powered by the souls of demons."

"Heh, if you say so. He can only hold so many things at once."

Haji jutted out past them, throwing his cello case at Ritorno who struck it away with the guitar, now transformed into a scythe. The chevalier continued onward, and Ritorno threw the ice weapon at him. It struck near Haji's feat and erupted into a huge crystal that almost reached the ceiling, but Haji managed to get away. Meanwhile, Saya had flanked their enemy and used her momentum for a powerful strike. Ritorno used the scythe to block, and electricity erupted from the weapon, running through Saya's sword and striking her away. But the two diversions had given Anthony the chance to attack Ritorno from behind, sending the weapon from his hands.

"Use one with your _teeth_, asshole!" Anthony shouted as he cut towards Ritorno's neck. But at the last moment the man pulled a sword from his belt which stopped Anthony's attack cold.

"_What the hell? He's not that strong."_

"It's not me." Ritorno told him, as if reading his thoughts.

As if gravity had shifted, Anthony's weapon was sent from his grip with no effort at all before Ritorno slashed downwards. The attack would have cut the young man in half had Saya not gotten in the way and blocked with her sword. Still, the attack shattered her blade and cut a large gash down the front of her body. Haji attacked Ritorno, who had to back off, and the trio made some distance between the opposing parties.

"What the hell _is _that sword?" Anthony asked, trying to ignore that Saya had just saved his ass.

"It's… Vergil and Dante's father's sword."

"So what?"

"Their father, Sparda, was an immensely strong demon. The difference between victory and defeat among the brothers would be decided by who held it." Haji added.

"Then we just have to get it back." Anthony said as he moved towards Ritorno.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way." Their enemy responded before throwing the sword towards them. The thing had a will of its own, and slashed at them relentlessly, forcing each one to push their bodies to the limits to avoid its attacks. Then, as quickly as they had started, the attacks stopped, and it returned to Ritorno's hands.

"We can't fight him while he has that sword. Not like this." Saya spoke with an even breathe, now that her wound had healed.

"Then _what_? We can't just run away."

"I've got an idea." Said a smug voice next to them.

_"Shit." _

Anthony pushed the others away as he avoided Ritorno's attack as well. But as he moved the bastard tackled him to the ground. It was only instinct that got his hands in the way as the half-demon pushed the sword towards his neck.

"You've never been this close to dying before, _have _you boy?" The snide man asked.

"The hell would you know? All you've got going for you is this little letter opener." He retorted, despite the fact he was losing the battle of strength.

"I've got _five _letter openers, in fact. And all I need to do is take you out one at a time."

"Terrence will find you, kill you, _and _your monster movie rejects by tonight. Even if you _do _manage to kill me."

"Ha! You little brat! He's your _brother_!"

"So wha-"

"And not even _you _could figure out that _he _let me out, and that those demons are all _his _doing?"

Anthony lost his strength, and would have lost his head as well had Saya and Haji not attacked Ritorno in time. He could hear them fighting, but felt like a human just hit with a flashbang grenade. Then the image of Terrence's face passed through his mind, and Anthony erupted from the floor and jutted across the room towards Ritorno. The sword ran him through, but that didn't stop him from striking the man away and towards his other weapons. Anthony pulled the sword from his chest and closed the distance between them.

"Pick whichever one you want, you're a dead man!" He screamed as his eyes glowed green and he swung the weapon at his prey. Ritorno managed to grab hold of a few of the weapons, but only succeeded in blocking the attack and getting sent through the wall. By the time Anthony reached the hole his cowardly enemy had already run away.

"Damnit!" He shouted, about to swing the weapon again when someone stopped him. He looked up and saw Saya had placed a hand on his arm.

"It's alright, Anthony, you beat him."

The boy trembled for a few moments before he reluctantly dropped the sword. His hands were charred, the result of a non-demon wielding the weapon, but he didn't care.

"You didn't hear him, _did _you?" He asked, seeing that there were two swords left behind as well, with heads on the bottom of them.

"What do you mean? What did he tell you?"

Terrence knew that this was one of those Hollywood-themed ultimatums; either he stayed loyal to his brother, or he told them the truth. If Ritorno was really working with Terrence then Anthony had no idea why he hadn't known about it. But no matter the excuse his twin could offer, _he _was the one who had sent those creatures to distract the others earlier, and it was _him _who created the new "super" monster for them to fight so Ritorno would have an opening to escape. There was no way of spinning the situation to make him look like an anti-hero now.

"It's not Ritorno. It's Terrence. He's the one behind all this."

* * *

Doh! Thanks, Esther Clemmens for mentioning the double post. I had been editing the _real _chapter 37 in my word processor right before posting the false one from the site, so I forgot to upload it to the site, thinking that it had been the same thing. No smiley face can convey my shame...


	38. Uprising

"Anthony, are you _sure_? This is a very serious matter."

"You think I don't know that?! It's _my _brother that we're talking about!" He shouted at her before turning away.

"Look, I don't even want to be telling you this. Trust me; it's true. That bastard told me that it was Terrence who freed him, and who is responsible for that 'virus' you've all been talking about. And I know for a _fact _that he's the one that created those other 'chiropterans'."

Saya wasn't sure if she was just confused or if this was all too much. She handed Haji what remained of her katana and then stepped up to Anthony.

"How do you know that?" She asked him.

"Because when we fed, whoever we bit turned into one of those things. If we didn't kill her or him, anyway. I always killed mine afterwards."

"You mean you've been feeding on _people_?"

Anthony sighed. He didn't give a damn about that in comparison to what was going on right now. Especially considering there wasn't anyone around that they _could _be feeding on. Not to mention he probably couldn't go back to humans now anyway.

"Until we got to the city, that's what we usually ate. Leaving them behind to roam around would have been like leaving a bunch of ugly-ass breadcrumbs. Terrence would always be the one that bit them first, I'd do the other side of their neck, and then we'd take its head off before it could turn."

Saya brought a hand up to her face and sighed, knowing better than to ask why he hadn't told her all this before.

"Anyway, I lost interest in humans since I got here. At first it was just to cover our tracks, but then… I don't know, I just lost my taste for them. Demons were easier to find, and we didn't need to worry about guilt trips."

"Alright, okay… putting that all aside, how can you turn _demons _into those huge creatures?"

"I can't. It must be because of Terrence's powers. Maybe he's part demon now so he can infect them, I don't know. It doesn't really matter either; he can turn them."

Another sigh came from Saya and she started for one of the couches when she remembered that they weren't there. Looking around, she saw there was nowhere to sit, and that bothered her a lot for some reason. It was difficult to take all this in. But her mind turned over onto a far more distressing matter and she froze.

"Can the creatures that he creates infect others as well?"

Anthony shrugged.

"Was never around to find out. There aren't many demons left anymore. I don't even know where Terrence finds them anymore. And whenever we fed together I always cut their heads off when it was done."

"Damnit."

Anthony's expression altered to show a mild form of shock, and Haji approached Saya from behind.

"That one that attacked Dante earlier… and how its blood got in Lady's eyes…"

"Saya, you should rest. You're still not at full strength."

Though she didn't mean to shrug off Haji's caring, the girl was reminded of how they had been feeling under the weather lately.

"Could Ritorno have infected Haji and I before?"

"If his sword was coated in Terrence's blood or something, maybe. Don't see how that could happen, though. Even then, I don't think it would work on you guys like it does others. You're from the generation before us, right?"

Since the blood that had originally created Terrence and Anthony had come from Diva, and its makeup was then messed with, it was possible.

"That would explain why Haji and I only felt it temporarily; because our bodies don't process blood the way a demon or a human would, that explains why we felt it quickly and it went away quickly as well. But if that's the case, then we need to get to Enzeru's as soon as possible."

"But that Ritorno guy is-"

"This is no time for arguing, Anthony. Family comes before our enemies. Always."

He looked at the floor at her mention of family.

"What are you going to do when you see Terrence? "

"I don't even know, Anthony. I'm not going to attack him, but this is far too serious to just brush off. If Dante and Lady turn out alright, we might just have to establish some rules and let him know what is and what is _not_ an understandable thing to do to others."

"And if they're not okay?"

"Then even if I _wouldn't _do anything, I'm sure Vergil would."

It took a few minutes before they could agree on leaving and heading to Enzeru's. When they did, Saya decided to see if she could reach him first.

_"We really should learn from him and all get cell phones." _She thought while dialing his number in the back. It wrung several times, but there was no answer. She hoped that there wasn't any more to what Terrence's plans had brought about as of yet, and headed back towards the front. However, as she did the phone began to ring and she hurried back over to answer.

"Hello?"

"Saya, sorry about that. Us old farts forget where we put our phones sometimes. Is everything quite alright?"

* * *

"I'm afraid not, Enzeru. Ritorno just attacked us."

Enzeru didn't sigh; it took a lot for him to get to that point. But it was a distressing thing to learn.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, Anthony arrived and helped fight him off."

"I was under the impression he was still in confinement."

"He was released."

"One of his demon creatures?"

"I'm afraid not."

Enzeru's grin dipped a bit as he noticed the newcomer. The man's black hair contrasted with the off-white color scheme of the building Enzeru had ducked into for the phone call. A couple hundred yards away the battle against the monstrous creature raged on. But with all those committed to the fight it was inevitable that they would win.

"I'll have to get back to you." He told Saya, hanging up on the confused girl.

"It's been a while since we've met face to face, hasn't it?" Ritorno asked him with a smile. Despite the brothers' natural shiftiness, the smile was decidedly genuine.

"Indeed. I would have delved down to the basement to see you earlier but it wasn't quite the atmosphere for our reunion."

"But of course."

Enzeru glanced down and noticed that his brother had leaned several of Dante's devil arms against a wall. He saw a strange guitar, an icy weapon and some things that were glowing white.

"Devil arms?"

"I figured I could use whatever advantage I could get my hands on."

Enzeru shrugged, finally putting his phone back in a pocket.

"You attacked them again."

"What can I say? My guardian angel decreed it so."

The elder brother leaned against a wall, folding his arms.

"Ah yes, I forgot about that. Who might that be?"

"Before I answer, would you mind answering a few questions for _me_? Especially considering I'm the one most pressed for time."

"By all means, were it not for you I would have no time to speak at _all_."

Ritorno nodded and pulled a dusty chair over to him. He was going to dust it off when he acknowledged there was no point and simply sat down.

"So, to begin… why is it that you've become best buds with Devil May Care? I mean, they _did _kill me."

"I rather like them, actually. Interesting people. Not to mention the personal war you waged against them was mostly for your own satisfaction. If you had wanted them dead it would have been easy enough to simply teleport around and stab them with that special blade you had. But you chose to force them through anguish instead. Forget any moral bits regarding your strategy, you toyed with them and you got bit."

Ritorno propped an elbow on the arm of his chair and rested his cheek against his hand.

"Well, that's a rather cold way to look at it. But I suppose I see your point. And I came back anyway, so I suppose they and I are even now. The _old _group, anyway. Now that I think about it, did you know about that girl?"

"Our descendant."

"Yes. Who would have thought such a thing could happen? A human relative of yours surviving to the modern day, and being within close proximity of you no less? She hasn't even lost her differential eye colors."

"Rather lucky it was… on that topic, she has lost consciousness and won't wake up." Enzeru responded, his mouth now a flat line.

Ritorno put his hands in the air as if to defend himself from a child.

"Now, now, it wasn't me. I might have been a bit rough at first, but I did nothing that could have caused any manner of coma."

Enzeru finally sighed.

_"So it really didn't have anything to do with him. Not even an accident."_

"But I _can _tell you what's wrong."

He looked his brother straight in the eyes and asked what it was.

"She's been infected, by that 'virus' everyone's been talking about so much."

"What?!" Enzeru asked, his voice at a whisper and his mouth in a frown. Ritorno seemed to lose some of his enjoyment as well, though it was more likely because it bothered Enzeru than due to any concern for the girl.

"I was told it was placed there so that it could infect some people. The bats are immune, more or less, but demons and humans are fair game. Did it get any of the others?"

"Dante. It attacked him first. He didn't seem any weaker than usual but I heard he wasn't as 'on the ball'."

Ritorno managed a small chuckle.

"Well I wish I could say I felt sorry for him, but having a couple dozen hooks to your temple by someone does wonders for your detachment from them."

"How do you remove the infection? If it _is _in fact some manner of virus or bacteria or anything of the sort, there must be countermeasures."

"If there is or are, I'm afraid I was never told."

The brothers shared several moments of silence, and Enzeru noticed a decided lack of sound coming from the direction of the battle. They didn't have much more time to converse.

"We've been talking for a while, so would you mind telling me your 'benefactor's' name? Perhaps I can go ask it nicely to give me a vaccine."

Ritorno almost giggled as he rose from his chair.

"The Fresh Prince of Demon Aire."

Enzeru's frown deepened, and he gazed down at the ground.

"Okay."

He brought his arms down and pushed away from the wall, heading towards the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Ritorno called after him, sounding decidedly confused.

"If you can still cloak your presence, I would recommend you go into hiding, find a TV, and watch all the seasons of Seinfeld and the Simpsons. When you come out, if it isn't safe, it isn't going to be."

"What is a Seinfeld, and what are _you _going to do?"

Enzeru stopped for a moment to open the door.

"I'm going to do whatever I need to do in order to cure her. And then I am going to kill Terrence. He can't be trusted if he has been responsible for all of this."

"But how are you going to kill someone with the power to govern the entire demon world?"

"I'm not sure, but I've done it before; I can do it again."


End file.
